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Friday, October 24, 2008

Use the T-Mobile G1 Without Activating It [T-mobile G1]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/430782975/use-the-t+mobile-g1-without-activating-it

If you don't wanna spring for the two-year contract or wait out the 90 days 'til T-Mobile will unlock the G1 for you, getting it going without actually activating it is remarkably easy. Just snag an active T-Mobile SIM card from a friend (or foe), pop it in to get through the setup process, and after enabling Wi-Fi, you can drop it like it's hot. 'Course, it won't make any phone calls, but that's not why you wanted a G1 anyway, right? [Love for Biz via Ubergizmo]

DARPA's Acoustic Coagulation Cuff Stops Internal Bleeding with Sound Waves [Medical]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/430871562/darpas-acoustic-coagulation-cuff-stops-internal-bleeding-with-sound-waves

Internal bleeding is bad, bad news, especially if you're on the battlefield and far away from a hospital. That's why the military is very interested in any technology that can help stop internal bleeding that can be applied by people other than doctors. And they may have come upon a pretty amazing solution: an ultrasound cuff that uses sound waves to stop internal bleeding. Amazing.

DARPA is working on what they've dubbed the Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation Cuff (DBAC). It's a "semi-automated, ultrasound device designed to cut blood loss and shock resulting from combat limb injuries, one that can be operated by any GI with minimal training." Since an injured soldier can lose up to 25% of their blood volume while waiting to be transported, it would be hugely helpful to be able to stop that bleeding and stabilize them before being treated in a hospital.

By focusing a high-powered ultrasound beam at the bleeding area, the cuff can coagulate the blood and stem the bleeding quickly. They're hoping to have a prototype ready within 18 months. [CNET]

MSI Wind Scores 30% Performance Boost in Free Update [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/430960444/msi-wind-scores-30-performance-boost-in-free-update

Overclocking is nothing new, but rarely is it promoted by a PC manufacturer, let alone in a netbook. But MSI has released the v1.09 BIOS update for their Wind mini-notebook that allows users to function key toggle an 8%, 15% or 24% automatic overclock that can translate to a 30% performance boost (as independently tested). You'll notice the extra power in apps like Photoshop especially, but keep in mind that it probably won't do wonders for the battery life. All in all, however, it sounds like an absolute must-have update. [Electric Vagabond]

Dealzmodo: $50 Off Oprah's Favorite Gadget, Amazon Kindle [Dealzmodo]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/431176266/dealzmodo-50-off-oprahs-favorite-gadget-amazon-kindle

Officially becoming Oprah's favorite gadget will no doubt do wonders for Amazon Kindle sales. You know what else will? Knocking $50 off the price for her viewers. It's okay, you don't actually have to watch Oprah. Through Nov. 1, enter the discount code OPRAHWINFREY (no really) to slap $50 off the price at checkout. No one ever has to know. [Oprah via ZDNet]

BMW asks other automakers to collaborate on in-car open source platform

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/430528260/

Filed under: Transportation

In March of last year, we heard that Toyota had a mind to create its very own in-car operating system to "boost efficiency and speed up development." Now, it's bruited that BMW is asking any automaker who will listen to join hands in order to jointly develop an open source in-vehicle platform. The company has stated that it plans on having an open source system in a vehicle that sells 200,000 or more units within the next five to seven years, and while employees from rivals were on hand when the proclamation was made, no one was rushing to call dibs on first. Still, it sounds as if BMW will be forging ahead with or without any assistance, though bigwig Gunter Reichart did assert that BMW was "inviting other OEMs to join it [and] to exchange with it." In an apparent attempt at providing comic relief, Jim Buczkowski (Ford's director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering) stated that through its partnership with Microsoft, it already had 280,000 vehicles on the road with an open system. Hmm, clearly our definitions of "open" are somewhat incongruent.

[Via Motor Authority, thanks Laminaatplaat]

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