Ok, this must be from Japan. The City Car, a design from the MIT Media Lab, is a stackable, foldable car concept that hopes to alleviate the urban traffic jams we waste so much of our lives in. Let me explain this.

“These cars which are supposed to be rentable near major transportation hubs such as airports and train stations. It works just like a shopping cart in a grocery store. You deposit the money, you hopped into the car. Of course, you have to pick the one at the front, otherwise if you picked the middle car, how can you leave? Haha. Then the way ya go! Park your car into one of the dedicated parking spots when you’re done.”

The cars themselves are supposed to be incredibly agile, being able to turn on the spot and drive sideways to parallel park. Only time can tell whether this will be more or less successful than the Segway.

Honeymoon period for Lenovo and IBM is over! After tripling its earnings in the most recent quarter to $105.26 million, thanks to the cheap labor power in China, Lenovo has decided that it doesn’t need any IBM logo on its products. As a result of their success, the decision has come 2 years earlier than planned. I think Lenovo has made their own brand name internationally and no longer need IBM’s (Thinkpad) reputation to sell its products.

Lenovo Chief Executive Bill Amelio said as much following the company’s most recent earnings results, which was noted by E-Channel Line.

“By making substantial progress on all of our critical priorities over the past few quarters, we’re now a stronger, healthier company,” Amelio said. “One important sign of this progress is our decision to completely transition our Think products from the IBM brand to the Lenovo brand two years earlier than planned.” Previously there had been a deal made that allowed Lenovo to use the IBM logo on ThinkPads and some desktops for several years. The Chinese PC maker purchased IBM’s computer business in 2005 for $1.75 billion.

Recap in May 2007 - Lenovo’s overall revenue for that quarter — the fourth of its fiscal year — climbed 9 percent from a year earlier, to US$3.4 billion, helped by improved sales in all parts of the world, it said. Net profit was $60 million, up from a loss of $116 million in the same quarter in 2006.

Business was strongest in China, as usual, where PC shipments grew 24 percent from a year earlier. Shipments grew 18 percent in the rest of Asia Pacific, 14 percent in Europe and 9 percent in the Americas, the company said.

An anonymous reader sent us this pic of a purported Apple ad, circa 1990 for what appears to be the Mac Classic (Aka “Civic”). We’re unable to verify its authenticity (perhaps the Woz, who we know reads this site daily, can help us out?) but if legit it appears Apple may have invented our Mac Chick feature back when we were somewhere in the 4th or 5th grade. Odds are it was this type of thinking that eventually got John Sculley fired.

Source: macenstein

We all know that wood is one of the more expensive materials compared to plastic. For just $20, you can get a “wooden” (partially wooden?) USB keyboard and optical mouse at Geeks.com. This seems to be a good deal since we’ve showcased the Wooden DIY keyboard and the price tag is ~ $200. If you’re environmental friendly person or your computer desk and chair are made of wood, this is one product you might want to grab! However, a reader informed me that the keys on the keyboard are wood colored plastic. We have zoomed in the keyboard for you to judge this

Sony dropped this morning 2 new Stereo IC Recorders (Digital Voice Recorders) with the ICD-UX70 (1GB of internal flash memory), and the ICD-UX80 (2GB of internal flash memory). Our 2 IC Recorders can of course be used as a standalone Mp3 player, but when it comes to voice recording, you will be able (depending on your setting mode) to record up to 581h with the 2GB version.
Thanks to their USB dongle shape and more, you won’t need any cable to plug your ICD-UX70 or 80 to any computer OR to your audio system if this one has a USB port.
99×34.4×13.4mm for 48g (including 1 AAA battery)

This little device aka Dough-Nu-Matic can have you shoving a delicious miniature donut into your mouth in less than 60 seconds. You’ll have a whole pile of them in under six minutes - a dozen, to be exact. “Just add dough and the Dough-Nu-Matic does the rest.”

I don’t know much about how donut dough is made or if you can just buy a big fat sack of donut dough at Sam’s Club, so any extra effort on that front might be a deterrent. Still, if you have $130 to spare and easy access to dough, this is the gift that keeps on giving.

Now this isn’t exactly the most environmentally friendly of all computer peripherals, but at least it is more biodegradable than your standard plastic 101-key keyboard. Hailing from Japan, this DIY wood keyboard requires you to actually cut each key out yourself, placing them in the order of your choice. Granted, you would probably choose the QWERTY layout but the weirder ones among you would probably settle for DVORAK or something more original. I suppose this wood was not cut from virgin forests, so don’t feel too guilty about picking one of these €200 DIY wood keyboards up. At the very least, you can burn it to keep you warm during the cold winter months especially after oil has just breached the psychologically important $90/barrel mark.

Source: Akihabaranews

Singapore Airlines, the world’s second-largest airline by market value, has dashed the hopes of sexual thrill-seekers planning to engage in extra amorous activity aboard one of the 12 first-class suites, which boast the world’s first airborne double beds.

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, four-engine airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, an EADS subsidiary. The largest passenger airliner in the world.

Singapore Airlines started commercial flights of the double-decker A380 last week with a Singapore to Sydney route. The first-class suite gives you a double bed, privacy and endless champagne. Man! How can they expect passengers to not do what comes naturally when you mix a bed and endless champagne? asked Tony Elwood, a 76-year-old passenger who booked the suite with his wife, Julie. “Seems a bit strange.”

Some say since the doors are closed on the suites, how on earth are Singapore Airlines flight attendants going to know who is engaging in the old in/out and who isn’t? It’s always so noisy in aircraft anyway, you could be screaming to high heaven and no one would ever know. Just “don’t do it” during take off and landing

Singapore said they will stick to their rules even for the $14,320 price for two tickets in one of the suites.

A black lace PC keyboard teddy, straining against its fleshy cargo. Imagine that. This $140 Angel Kitty keyboard actually works, taking the concept of touch typing to a whole new level. It’s a little maid’s costume with an 85-key USB keyboard top, and it’s made to order in sizes that will accommodate even the most voluminously endowed office mate. Submissive Japanese babe not included.

Ever get sick of using that tiny little keyboard on your Blackberry? Tired of scribbling out things into your Palm Tungsten?

It sounds like you need a portable keyboard. But the majority of portable keyboards are bulky, cumbersome and more trouble than they’re worth to take along with you.

Today we bring you the Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard. This keyboard is a lightweight projector that can be used with a Bluetooth-compatible smartphone or PDA. Once you’re ready to use it, you connect via Bluetooth and you tap the projected images of the keys and the Virtual Keyboard knows which keys you’ve typed and responds instantly with audible clicks. I don’t know how it works - but it’s pretty damn cool that it knows not only what keys you’re “pushing”, but to also add the sound of a clicking key to that motion. You can also adjust the key sensitivity.Measuring a tiny 1″L x 1 3/8″W x 3 5/8″H and weighing in at a mere 2.3oz., the Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard will fit nicely in a purse or a bag without taking up too much valuable space. Includes AC adapter, carrying case and software on MiniCD. Requires Bluetooth device with HID and SPP profiles.