RC Helicopter Modded 45 Caliber Handgun Will Probably End In Disaster [Gadgets]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/EiTV8Q2W6Io/rc-helicopter-modded-45-caliber-handgun-will-probably-end-in-disaster

This modded Bergen Gasser EB remote-controlled helicopter has a handgun on its nose. Yes. A handgun. And as you can see in the video, it can also be fired remotely.

On its own, the Gasser EB is a mean, noisy machine. At 54 inches long, it's equipped with a 34.5-inch (800-millimeter) blade, and a gasoline engine powerful enough to resist the drag of a hefty handgun. Which is precisely what the owner of this beast, Jim Simmons, added to it: A Springfield 1911-A .45 caliber weapon.

Simmons also added a remote-controlled firing system. And if you think that's pretty stupid because the pilot on the ground won't be able to aim, think again: He also added a gun-sight digital camera. In other words: This is a fully-armed mini-UAV, which you can actually use to fly anywhere, aim, and fire at whatever target you want.

Yeah, this is exactly how documentaries about loads of dead people start. Or maybe not people, but polar bears and elks.

Dear Santa,

I didn't get the VP job, but can you please bring me this RC Helicopter with .45 caliber handgun?

Thank you and merry Xmas,

xxxooo
Sarah

[LiveLeak]

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iPhone Copy and Paste Now Working Between Safari and Mail [Apple]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/el7QulsfrBM/iphone-copy-and-paste-now-working-between-safari-and-mail

Finally, someone has conceived a way to copy and paste text from Safari to Mail, and between web pages. And this time, it doesn't require any software installation and it's legal:

Unlike other approaches, it works with the two apps that matter most, Mail and Safari, and gets around Apple's onerous App Store terms through a clever combination of javascript bookmarks and web services.

In fact, it doesn't require anything to be installed, so it avoids the App Store altogether. As you can see in the video, Pastebud—as the service is called—works using two bookmarks in Safari. One prepares and loads the page you are viewing, ready to select text at the touch of a finger. From there, you can copy any text you want and create a new mail message with that text in it. In addition to that, you will be able to copy and paste in the text field of a different web page.

While this is not full copy and paste capabilities, I, for one, welcome the ability do exactly this, which is basically what I want to do 95% of the time. According to Jed Schmidt, creator of Pastebud, they have been testing it for about a week and they are now "putting the finishing touches on the web site before launch".

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Nikon D400 DSLR Spec List Claims 14.8MP Sensor, 1080p HD Video [Nikon]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/x3sfHjIs8L0/nikon-d400-dslr-spec-list-claims-148mp-sensor-1080p-hd-video

Nikon just announced the D3x, and popped out the D700 a little bit ago, so next to be updated is the D300, right? Here are the first round of supposed specs for the D400.

Nikon Rumors got these specs as anonymous tip—anonymous comment, actually—so the standard caveats apply, BUT they do look fairly plausible, and fall in line with what Nikon's been up to lately. The most significant update is the addition of the rumored 1080p 24fps video recording, a whack back at Canon's 5D Mark II, whose video capabilities have blown us away again and again. Of course, we'll have to wait and see how good it actually looks. (Here's why DSLR video is finally happening, if you're curious.)

The rest is fairly expectable with a mix of current Nikon features and new specs—14.8MP DX sensor, but I'm hoping it'll be more D700-like in the noise department—and $2000 seems about right as the price tag, though $1800 would be more aggressive.

* New 14.8 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor effective 14.3 megapixel
* Self-cleaning sensor unit (low-pass filter vibration)
* ISO 100 - 6400 (with boost up to ISO 25600 and down to ISO 50)
* 14-bit A/D conversion
* Movie capture at up to 1080p 24 fps with stereo sound
* Nikon EXPEED Plus image processor 30% faster than previous EXPEED image processor
* Super fast operation (power-up 13 ms, shutter lag 40 ms, black-out 90 ! ms)
* Kevlar / carbon fibre composite shutter with 200,000 exposure durability
* Multi-CAM3500DX Auto Focus sensor (51-point, 15 cross-type, more vertical coverage)
* Auto-focus tracking by color (using information from 1005-pixel AE sensor)
* Auto-focus calibration (fine-tuning) now available (fixed body or up to 20 separate lens settings)
* Vignetting control in-camera
* Automatic chromatic aberration correction
* Custom image parameters now support brightness as well as contrast
* Seven frames per second continuous shooting (nine frames per second with battery pack)
* 3.0″ 922,000 pixel LCD monitor
* Live View with either phase detect (mirror up/down) or contrast-detect AF, face detection
* 'Active D-Lighting' (adjusts metering as well as applying D-Lighting curve)
* Detailed 'Control Panel' type display on LCD monitor, changes color in darkness
* Buttons sealed against moisture
* Same ultra-fast startup and shutter lag as D700
* Scene Recognition System (uses AE sensor, AF sensor)
* Picture Control image parameter presets
* UDMA compatible single CF card slot
* Virtual horizon indicates if camera is level (like an aircraft cockpit display)
* Extensive in-camera retouching
* HDMI HD video output
* Magnesium alloy body with connections and buttons sealed against moisture

[Nikon Rumors via CrunchGear]

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The Slimmest Houses On Earth Are Made In Japan [Architecture]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/hFh2X_uIPLo/the-slimmest-houses-on-earth-are-made-in-japan

Screw Dubai. Bouncing Red Ball has a a selection of some of thinnest buildings in the world, all in Japan, where land is so scarce. We've featured other cool ones, but these defy belief.

And you thought your apartment was small. We have added the mountain-side house, but head to Bouncing Red Ball for the rest of their selection. [Bouncing Red Ball]

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VLC Remote App Controls The Baddest Media Player Via iPhone [IPhone Apps]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/NdgJlwAQZAI/vlc-remote-app-controls-the-baddest-media-player-via-iphone

You can drop practically any file onto VLC's orange cone, and if there is media buried somewhere within its digital crevices, VLC will find it and play it. Now, control the action via iPhone.

The VLC Remote comes in two flavors—regular and free. Both version can connect to any computer running VLC on your network to play/pause/skip tracks and videos and control the volume; the $1 (for a limited time) version adds control of playlists, and a cool feature that lets you browse your hard drive for any media files and play them. To pair your computer with the remote, you need to download a quick setup assistant here.

If only VLC had better music library management (with iPod/iPhone) and seamlessly streamed to my Airport Express (you can do it with a $25 add-on, but not natively), I could almost consider giving up iTunes all together. But for now, it remains the trustiest video player on any platform (Windows, Mac, Linux). Check out our friends at Lifehacker for more hands-on info. [VLC Remote Free (iTunes), VLC Remote (iTunes), Lifehacker]

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