Motorola's Backflip has yet to springboard itself over to AT&T, but those who call China home can hop on the bandwagon right away. Said phone -- which sports a full touchscreen and a physical QWERTY thanks to the horizontal clamshell design -- is now available from Moto's Chinese portal for 4,298 Chinese yuan (in unlocked form), which translates to right around $630. While the rest of the world awaits the phone's launch later this quarter, you can hit up Mobile.163.com for a downright beautiful gallery of in the wild shots. Go on, it's safe. We think.

[Thanks, Me]

Motorola Backflip spotted in the wilds of China originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Armatix has apparently been working on its so-called "smartgun" concept for quite a while, but it's now finally shown up at the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT, naturally) with its first actual product: a .22-caliber pistol that relies on a wristwatch as a safety. As you can probably figure out, the gun will only unlock itself when its in close proximity to the watch, which sends a "wireless arming signal" that, of course, also activates some green LEDs for good measure. Previous incarnations of the company's concept also relied on a fingerprint ID as an additional safety, but that seems to have been left off this production model, which will run €7,000 (or $9,700) when it starts shipping next month.

Armatix pistol / wristwatch combo tells time... to stay put originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, the iPad happened this week, but we also caught sight of several hot green gadgets and clean tech innovations this week that stand to shape the future of green consumer technology.

First off, design star Philippe Starck brought haute design to clean tech with two novel designs for home wind turbines. Starck's high-profile products have made him a household name, so we're interested to see if his latest creations kick off a trend towards "designer" wind power.

We were also impressed by researchers at Princeton University who recently found a way to integrate piezoelectric chips into flexible, durable rubber-based circuits. We've seen piezo power sources before, but applications for the new chips are sure to put bounce in your step: energy generating shoes, movement-powered microsurgical devices, and self-charging pacemakers are right around the corner.

Interest in green transportation is building as Florida rides high on the government's recently announced grants for high speed rail -- the sunshine state is set to blaze a trail with $1.25 billion in funding. And for those with a soda habit, Takara Tomy's cola-powered RC car is one sweet ride. The biobattery-powered car can convert any sugary liquid to energy, so pour in some Jolt and you're good to go.

Finally, love it or hate it -- the launch of Apple's iPad has dominated the newswires all week. While we appreciate the device's toxin-free, recyclable construction and impressive battery life, we have to ask: is it really green?

Inhabitat's Week in Green: turbines, rubber circuits, and cola-powered cars originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comedian Stephen Colbert is hosting the Grammys, and to mark the occasion of "Song of the Year" (Put a Ring On It), he pulled out his shiny new iPad.

Notable because it's one of the first out in the open. Also notable: No iPads in those obscene celebrity gift baskets people get for attending these things (Jay-Z didn't even get one, Colbert mocked).

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Stephen_Colbert_takes_out_an_iPad_at_the_Grammys'; ...and he took it to the 52nd Annual Grammys. Nice product placement, Apple. Video of the whole thing after the break. Say, what kind of pocket did that come out of?

Continue reading Stephen Colbert has an iPad... (video)

Stephen Colbert has an iPad... (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portland, Oregon is so into the green movement that they're going to cover their federal building from floor to ceiling with a 200-ft. wall made from living, breathing vegetation.

The living wall is more than just a pretty facade, however, as city officials claim it will lead to savings of about $280,000 per year in energy costs. Add in some solar panels (also part of the overall $133 million plan), and the building will use about 60-65% less energy than a similar-sized office.

And, being a plant, the multi-fin wall is seasonal. Designers say that in the summer its foliage will provide cooling shade; in the winter months the wall will thin, providing light when the weather cooperates.

One issue yet to be tackled by architects is irrigation. Rainwater from the roof is one suggestion, while water recycled from the building's plumbing is another.

Another issue is cost. Senators John McCain of Arizona and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma have both criticized the project for being a complete waste of economic stimulus money (see also: The Bridge to Nowhere). Even so, the project is on track for completion in 2013. [New York Times]

This month we showed you the best times to buy anything, all year round, highlighted a better way to tie your shoes, discussed some problems with the Apple iPad, and a whole lot more. Here's a quick look back.

• The Best Times to Buy Anything, All Year Round
  You're always hearing about off-season, post-peak times to save money on purchases and food, but it always arrives too late. We've compiled a timeline and lots of best-time-to-buy suggestions into one post to help you plan a more frugal 2010.
• The Problem with the Apple iPad
  Yesterday, Steve Jobs worked his charm, attempting to wow the world with the Apple iPad, a new, super-slim computer he touted as the missing link between iPhones and laptops. It's an undeniably beautiful device, but it also represents some serious problems.
• Five Best DVD-Ripping Tools
  You pay good money for your DVDs, but they're hardly the only format you need these days. These five ripping tools ensure you can back them up, keep them on your media server, and load them on your favorite portable player.
• Ditch the Granny Knot to Tie Your Shoes More Efficiently
  The difference between shoes tied with a balanced, neat, and self-tightening knot versus those tied with an unbalanced, sloppy, and loose knot, is all in how you make your first loop.
• Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss
  If you don't like your bags being out of your sight and it makes you uncomfortable to think that airline workers are rifling through your stuff, you can take advantage of the TSA's own security rules by-eek-packing a gun.
• How to Put Your PC to Good Use While You're Sleeping
  The great part about your computer is that—unlike you—it doesn't require any sleep. Take advantage of your PC's insomnia by automating time- and processor-intensive tasks while you're counting sheep.
• Your Passwords Aren't As Secure As You Think; Here's How to Fix That
  If you allow applications to save your passwords, anyone with physical access to your PC can decode them unless you're properly encrypting them—and chances are pretty good you're not.
• Five Best Email Clients
  Email as a technology has been around for decades, and thanks to wide spread adoption and popularity, it isn't in danger of disappearing. Check out the five most popular email clients to help you wrangle your email.
• Browser Speed Tests: Firefox 3.6, Chrome 4, Opera 10.5, and Extensions
  Firefox 3.6 is out, Chrome's stable version got a big upgrade, and Opera 10.5 is inching toward release. It's a great time for us to break out the timer, process manager, and code tracker for some up-to-date browser speed tests.

Curious folks around the world enjoy a bit of hackintosh every now and then (although once is enough for many), but no geek has successfully ventured as far as Toni Nikkanen of Finland, who became the first person to run OS X on a phone -- the Nokia N900. As you can see in the video after the break, Toni's hack relies on PearPC -- a PowerPC emulator -- to install good ol' OS X 10.3 (Panther), but the mammoth sluggishness means it's far from usable. Still, if you can spare 90 minutes for each boot-up plus plenty more for the snail-paced cursor, then head to the source to learn from Herra Nikkanen.

[Thanks, Matija]

Continue reading Mac OS X 10.3 installed on Nokia N900 via PearPC, barely usable for impatient geeks

Mac OS X 10.3 installed on Nokia N900 via PearPC, barely usable for impatient geeks originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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