Grow One Of The Tallest Trees In The World For Yourself

Redwood Trees in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CaliforniaTrees are amazing things -- they cool us in the heat, protect us from wind, and provide us with the materials for shelter. With their ability to process carbon dioxide into oxygen they are the lungs of the Earth. One of the largest tree on the planet is the giant redwood. To do your part for the environment (and just 'cause you want to) you can grow your own redwood in your garden.

Microsoft promo: buy a Surface RT, get a free keyboard cover (updated)

Microsoft promo buy a Surface RT, get a free Touch or Type Cover

There's no question that the Surface RT comes into its own with a keyboard cover; we can't imagine using the tablet unadorned. Microsoft can't, either, as it's launching a promo that gives the covers away. Americans and Canadians who buy the Windows RT slate between now and the end of June can get either the Touch Cover or the Type Cover for free, no matter which color they fancy. Surface Pro customers are out of luck, but it's hard to dispute the value for prospective Surface RT owners -- the deal amounts to at least a $100 discount on the touch PC's real-world price.

Update: To be clear, this promo has been running in other countries; it's just now debuting in North America, however.

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Via: CNET

Source: Microsoft Store

Solar Powered Bug Zapper and Accent Lights

solar bug zappers Solar Powered Bug Zapper and Accent Lights
Harness the power of the sun to both light your path and keep your yard insect free. The Solar Insect Zappers Solar Powered Bug Zapper and Accent Lights powers up in moderate sunlight and the UV light automatically turns on at dusk to lure in flying bugs and jolt them with 300 volts. Runs for 8 hours on a full charge. Press the button and they switch over to calming accent lights. No need for chemicals or batteries to keep the bugs away. Housed in durable stainless steel with a grate covering the light to protect it from kids and pets.

buy now Solar Powered Bug Zapper and Accent Lights

Solar Powered Bug Zapper and Accent Lights

DIY Bicycle-Based Generator: All Stationary Bikes Should Be Like This

Instructables member KlockworkKevin made a generator attachment for his bicycle. Even though he mostly used scrap parts for the generator, he was able to avoid making the whole thing an eyesore by hiding it in plain sight. When not in use, the generator is neatly hidden under KlockworkKevin’s patio table:

bicycle generator by KlockworkKevin 2

When he’s ready to burn some calories and charge some batteries, he just flips the table on its side and attaches his bike:

bicycle generator by KlockworkKevin

Here’s a demo of the generator (turn your volume down before you play it):

Wouldn’t it be awesome if all gym equipment worked like this? Head to Instructables to read KlockworkKevin’s walkthrough.

[via Inhabitat]

Weotta iOS local discovery app goes nationwide, Google Ventures approves

Weotta iOS local discovery app goes nationwide, Google Ventures approves

Finding things to do and places to go has never been easier thanks to services that neatly pull all the options together. Weotta hopes to be another weapon in your discovery app arsenal after expanding its coverage to the whole of the US, having initially been limited to 40 cities. As the company's CEO told Forbes, the free iOS app uses "phrase extraction and natural language processing" to source its local suggestions from the nooks and crannies of the internet. That same wizardry is used to steer its rating system, which is based on what's said about a venue or event rather than aggregating numerical scores. It'll learn your likes and dislikes, tailoring recommendations as it gets to know you better, but you can discover what's happening in the area for yourself using the search feature. Via Facebook Connect, the app will also tell you what's popular among your peers. While Weotta is only available for iOS, it's attracted funding from Google Ventures, which is a recommendation in itself that suggests you give it a whirl.

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Source: Weotta, Forbes, App Store

Personal Xbox 360 Game Module/Dumpster for the Ultimate in Private Gaming

A dumpster-looking personal fortress of solitude where you can play games in total privacy? Count me in. “The Box” is a custom-built personal gaming chamber for those who have no friends and want none.


xbox filth lair1
It’s for sale on Craigslist in Ohio. It has everything you could ever want in a gaming chamber: surround sound, air conditioning/heat, the smell of your own sweat and urine when you refuse to leave (or get locked in by others) as well as the smell of stale Cheetos and Mountain Dew.

xbox personal gaming module 2

It’s only $2500 (USD). Never be distracted again by “life”. No worries. Girls won’t find you in this thing and you will be doing all of them a favor by living in this thing.

[via Geekologie]

TechShop CEO Mark Hatch on his Toshiba T1100 Plus and radio tech magic

Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire.

In the latest installment of our high-tech queries, TechShop CEO Mark Hatch discusses annoying reboots, the ka-chunk of classic tech and much more. The full gamut of answers -- from Leatherman to Siri -- await your perusal on the other side of the break.

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Source: Distro Issue 93

Tech Deals of the Day: 5/31/2013

Our friends at TechBargains.com compile a list of daily deals to help you save money. Keep in mind that as with any good deal, products are limited in quantity and can sell out quickly – so don’t hesitate to check them out now.

If you’re looking to buy a product from a specific store, save money with updated and verified coupon codes here.

Computers & Peripherals:

Home Entertainment:

Personal Electronics:

HTC M4 possibly spotted next to two monstrosities: alleged Nokia Lumia 1030 and Sony ‘Togari’ (update: likely fake)

DNP HTC M4 possibly pictured alongside alleged Nokia Lumia 1030 and Sony 'Togari' cellular monstrosity

If there's an award for the meatiest leak of the year, then this would make a fitting nomination. The above photo (reformatted for this page) was tweeted earlier today by France-based Dahny El Perro, who claims the blue device in the top right corner is an upcoming Nokia Lumia 1030. While it's hard to tell the physical features from the blurred shot, the wider spacing around the Windows Phone soft keys suggests this might be a larger device than the existing Lumia 920. More interestingly, its screenshot features an extra tile column, which is a feature rumored to be part of the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update, according to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley.

Next up we have what appears to be the rumored 6.44-inch, 1080p Sony "Togari," whose front panel was first spotted way back in January. Alas, there's little to see here, but we were quickly distracted by the much smaller HTC device next to it. Many have simply dismissed this as the One, though if you look close enough you should notice the subtle differences: the frame is white all around the phone, and the speaker grills are shorter. Indeed, this device matches @evleaks' earlier render of the 4.3-inch M4, thus making this leak its first real-life appearance. But of course, there's also a good chance that this is merely a very clever hoax involving three unannounced devices, not to mention that the Twitter account is also super fresh, so we won't be placing any bets just yet.

Update: WPCentral's sources say Nokia currently does not have plans for this type of over-sized phone, and they've confirmed that this image is inaccurate. Upon further research and analysis, we're leaning towards believing this is indeed an elaborate hoax.

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Via: Blog Of Mobile (Japanese)

Source: Dahny el Perro (Twitter)

White Nexus 4 now available in US Google Play Store and T-Mobile (video)

White Nexus 4 now available on TMobile and in Play Store

It's just a new hue for a seven-month-old phone, but there are still a few Nexus 4 enthusiasts who are ecstatic that a white version has finally been released. It officially launched two days ago in Hong Kong, but it's now hitting the US Google Play Store (with a free white bumper), as well as T-Mobile's website "for a limited time." If the $299 / $349 Play Store price is above your budget, the UnCarrier's financing plan will be your best option: it's offering the alabaster Android device for $20 down with 24 monthly payments of $17 (bringing the full retail cost to $428). If your country's Play Store isn't selling the new color yet, be patient -- its rollout over the rest of North America, Asia and Europe will continue over the next few weeks.

Update: hit the break for our unboxing video, in case you missed it earlier this week.

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Source: Play Store