Is nothing sacred? Could fanboys just leave some small section of Earth unexposed to their partisan antics? Apparently not, as even this innocent Nerf basketball hoop has been reconfigured with a PowerMac G5 case backboard. [Cult of Mac via TUAW]

“TransferJet Technology”—does marketing speak get any more pseudo-tech-epic than that?

Sony’s latest 8GB Memory Stick, now debuting in Japan, works just like any old overpriced Memory Stick. But, from 3cm away from a supported device, RF-based TransferJet can transfer the stored data at speeds of 560 Mbps (or, as Wikipedia reports, 375 Mbps in real world use).

Technically, TransferJet has been around since 2008, but it’s just finally making its way to Sony products.

As for that Memory Stick’s price, we have no clue. Sorry. [Sony via Akihabara News]

Some people really hate being photographed, so much, in fact, that they’ll run, jump, tight rope walk or even teleport away. Seriously! Here are 30 such getaway shots from this week’s Shooting Challenge, including the winners:

Second Runner Up: ‘Don’t Fall!’

Technique: Pre-Step 1: Walk to beach. Step 1: Set camera on railing Step 2: Set 2 second timer to take 2 pictures Step 3: Press shutter Step 4: DON’T FALL! Equipment: Nikon D5000 with a 35mm f1.8 lens. Picture Details: 1/250 sec. at f/8. Nerd Details: Camera set to program auto (lazymode), ISO 200, custom picture style, auto white balance, no flash. Confession 1: Picture was actually taken 4 seconds after the shutter was pressed because the timer was set to take 2 pictures, each after 2 seconds. 2 seconds was nowhere near enough time to get into the frame, so the second picture was chosen. I’m not a tightrope walker, I can’t move THAT fast on that rail! Picture was taken in Emerald Isle NC. And yeah, it really was foggy. Like could not see more than 100 yards foggy. Like everything was moist foggy. Oh and sorry if you don’t like the word moist.
-Cory Efland

Runner Up – ‘Tight Rope Walker’

I shot this image tonight on a roof top in Chicago. I setup a single strobe (Calumet 7B) synced to my 5D Mark II on a tripod, set the timer and leaped from one roof top to the other! 5D Mark II with a Canon 17-40 f/4; Exposed for 8 seconds at f/5.6; Strobe at half-power; ISO 200; Mirror locked up. It was a fun shoot, little did I know, the rooftop that I was jumping onto was someone’s apartment. After about 5 test jumps I heard some screaming and ignored it, after getting this final image the neighbors were throwing eggs up on to the roof at me.
-Josh Billions

Winner – ‘Teleport’

For this shot, I used my Canon XSi on the 2sec timer with a Canon 50mm at f/1.4, ISO 100, and 15sec. I set the camera to shutter speed priority at 15s. I then ran from my camera holding a flashlight for about 10 seconds, then light painted my body for the rest of the exposure.
-Kinta Maeda

I absolutely love that we started with such a simple idea—running from your camera—and ended up with so many entries I could have never anticipated. Even more worthwhile shots in the full gallery:

Thanks again for your participation!

When rain is afoot, there’s only one tool in Batman’s arsenal that will keep his logo dry: The Batumbrella. [MaxiGlob via SuperPunch via ComicsAlliance via technabob]

One moment it’s a table, the next it’s a fort…well, a fort that any dog would be happy to sleep in, at least. Sadly, the table fort is nothing more than a design concept. [Daily Shelter via boingboing]

Out of nowhere, Asus has announced two promising eBook readers. The first had an OLED screen. And now their second reader, the DR-950, promises less color but still appears to be at least a generation beyond any Kindle.

Just look at the screen to case ration of the DR-950—it’s within reason, like a painting wrapped with a frame. That’s a 9-inch, 1024×768 display in the middle, yet the DR-950 manages to be but .35-inches thick.

Inside, the 950 houses anywhere from 2-4GB of storage, an SD card slot, Wi-Fi and HSDPA, the potential for WiMax, 3.5mm headphone jack and USB.

The system’s software supports text to speech, RSS and a nice mix of codecs including PDF, ePub and HTML.

No word on price/availability, but from the looks of it, the DR-950 could belong in our Ultimate eBook Reader Guide. Now the 950 just needs to actually get itself released. [ElectricPig]

Monsters are scary, but it appears that animatronics are far more frightening without all their makeup. See more shots in roboticist/director John Nolan’s personal collection: [John Nolan Films via jwz via boingboing]

I’m an infographic junkie. With about one minute of non-work, you’re basically an expert on any topic, as if you’ve been beamed an expertise straight through the Matrix…with a few more fonts. Today’s topic? Video games. [Online Education via Kotaku]

I can’t tie a sheepshank knot off the top of my head, but more than once, I’m pretty sure I’ve tangled one by accident. (Yes, this is a Ford Sync ad, but it’s quite clever.) [AdsoftheWorld via 9GAG via TheNextWeb]

…online censorship edition. If viewed on a computer screen that resides in China, this image actually has a gaping, country-shaped hole. [Information is Beautiful]

It’s never too early to corrupt a child’s musical tastes, but sadly, you can’t just shove a pair of white earbuds into the womb—not without a lot of work. The solution?

The Ritmo Advanced Pregnancy Sound System shares pretty much any source that’s got a headphone jack (iPods, Blackberries, etc) with a baby via a speaker-filled strap. The strap wraps around an expectant mother’s stomach, connects to an audio regulating breakout box and shares her playlist with her unborn child.

But even if the baby doesn’t appreciate the effort, any participating third trimester mother with aching joints and a bulbous gut protrusion gets to feel like just like that party-ready green shadow chick—we’re absolutely certain. $130. [Ritmo]

Researchers from the Machine Perception Laboratory at UCSD have developed this baby robot to simulate the development of a 1-year-old. And clearly, they’ve become somewhat attached to the little automaton with a gigantic head.

The robot baby is named Diego-San, and aside from joy, he’s bundled with a high resolution camera and 6-axis accelerometer. And while his coordination is limited to standing from a chair and holding a bottle, Diego-San’s face has 20 moving parts to convey emotion without speaking—the engineering of which probably necessitates the freakishly large head.

On a related note, what’s it mean that I actually feel guilty calling the robot’s head “freakish?” My insides feel inexplicably icky, as if I’ve insulted an actual, helplessly deformed child. [PDF Source via BotJunkie via Geekologie]

Logitech’s basic comfort lapdesk is pretty great product, but I know what you’ve been thinking: “Why doesn’t this thing have speakers and a fan inside??” Behold, the USB-powered Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700.

Price

$80, available now.

Verdict

The N700 is a decent product, but we’d like to see the company push the idea even further.

You see, the Speaker Lapdesk is every bit as comfortable—if a tad heftier—than Logitech’s stock Lapdesk. The firm, mesh pillow is cool and comfortable on your legs. And by plugging in your laptop via integrated USB cable, the N700 instantly allows you to control volume through its own buttons while toggling on/off a low-speed fan that sits under your computer.

Sound quality? It’s OK—midrange-heavy with tinny highs—but better than my 3-year-old MacBook Pro overall.

However, my MacBook Pro actually has better high range than the Lapdesk, which cued me to remember another laptop audio gadget I looked at not so long ago, the BassJump. The BassJump came with software (the N700 requires none) that mixed its audio with your laptop’s.

This simple sound mixing option could really help users milk more overall quality out of the N700, and I urge Logitech to consider it in products moving forward.

Secondly, while the fan and speakers are handy, the fact that they’re bus powered means that your laptop is working that much harder off its own battery. A small, integrated lithium ion could help guarantee that you won’t need to plug in your laptop while vegging out on the couch.

As for right now, the N700 is basically a mediocre set of computer speakers integrated into a very comfortable, cooling laptop stand. It’s probably better than what your laptop uses day to day, but then again, spending this much on headphones and one of Logitech’s cheaper desks would garner better results. [Logitech]

Comfortable

No drivers necessary

Audio quality won’t impress you

Kinda looks like something designed by Walmart

Panasonic may be aggressively pushing their $21,000 3D camera for broadcasters and indie film types, but already, smaller players are applying the laws of cheap manufacturing to 3D cams.

By DXG (if you’ve never heard of them, we don’t blame you), this pistol-grip pocket cam shoots in dual-lens 3D. Its 3-inch display has been said to look “almost holographic,” plus it comes with an extra 7-inch display for watching 3D content (I believe the screens use glassesless parallax barrier tech).

The video itself is recorded to motion JPEG, which while an accepted standard in 2D, probably won’t be compatible with 3D systems into the future—plus there’s no word on resolution. But hey, 3D, just like Avatar! Look for the 3D DXG camera this June. [DVICE via OhGizmo!]

For those who enjoy nothing more than a good clamping, this $14, 7-port USB hub clamps to your desk. (Shhh, technically it might actually “clip,” but that desk won’t ever pay up without fear of the clamps.) [Brando via CraziestGadgets]

This subtly updated iPhone concept from mysterious designer hdi is really rocking my world. It mixes aluminum and glass just like an iMac. And in fact, after seeing it, I may be disappointed by whatever iPhone Apple releases next.

I mean, just imagine the adorable little iMac stand that third parties would make for this phone! I’m getting cute overload just thinking about it.

Of course, I could do without the iMac’s flickering, yellow screen. But that’s just me, and authenticity might be the better way to go here.

Europe got the PlayTV, and now Japan is receiving a digital tuner for the PS3 of its own called the Torne.

Connecting to the PS3 via USB, the Torne adds internet-based program search and DVR functions to the PS3 (that still work even when you’re watching a Blu-ray or something). Shows are recorded to either the PS3 itself or a connected USB hard drive.

Then, if you have a PS3, the shows can be transferred to either it or an intermediary media card, or, and this is the neater part, you could watch the shows from your PS3 on your PSP using Remote Play (and Wi-Fi). The Torne is out in Japan this March for about $110, and it will also be bundled with Japan’s upcoming 250GB PS3. But there’s still no word on a US-based tuner. [Kotaku]

The HP Envy 15 isn’t my favorite laptop around, but if you buy one configured with both a Core i7 and ATI Radeon HD 5830, it’ll arrive loaded with USB 3.0. Oooooh! [CNET via Engadget]