Knock to open

a James Bond-worthy concept: knock on the door in a certain fashion, and the door'll open automatically. The idea was perfect: no need to drill holes, sneaky enough so the landlord wouldn't accidentally trigger it, easy enough to remember.The implementation was a bit more difficult: We needed something mechanical to open the lock from the inside and something to detect the knocks themselves. The first of the two wasn't too hard: the lock has a 'knob' on the inside, so you can lock and unlock the room from the inside without having the key. The second probably could be solved with a microphone, a small amplifier and a microcontroller to detect the knocks and see if they're in the right order.

Sprites mods - Knock to open - Intro

technorati tags:technology

Halo's Todd McFarlane controllers and wireless headset

The controller art is done by Todd McFarlane (Spawn) and also comes with a Halo 3 figurine by McFarlane Toys. So, maybe, it will end up costing $60. We'll find out more closer to release and when these items become "official".

Halo's Todd McFarlane controllers and wireless headset - Joystiq

technorati tags:technology, comics

Boy-Band Mogul's Memorabilia Auctioned

Platinum and gold records, autographed posters and even a key to the city all went "Bye Bye Bye" at an auction as creditors liquidated the assets of boy-band impresario Lou Pearlman.Hundreds of bidders packed a downtown building Tuesday for the Chapter 11 bankruptcy sale. The auction was populated mostly by middle-aged men, not the screaming young girls who drove Pearlman's bands to multi-platinum success.

Newsvine - Boy-Band Mogul's Memorabilia Auctioned

technorati tags:current events

RealPlayer 11 Lets You Download Videos from the Web

The much-hated RealPlayer will get an upgrade that adds an easy way to download videos from the web, a slicker interface and a friendlier relationship with your computer. "The new RealPlayer gives consumers more control of Internet video than was ever possible before. By floating a download this video button next to video seen on thousands of Web sites, RealPlayer makes it one-click simple," said Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO of Real in a press release.

Google Operating System: RealPlayer 11 Lets You Download Videos from the Web

technorati tags:technology