Google Hand-Picks $1500 Buyers of Google Glass Cyborg Beta

The words “surgical insertion” are not usually greeted with open arms … and, well, minds. However, at Google headquarters Thursday, 8000 individuals showed up for orientation, sizing, and “interference abatement” for the first beta version of Google Glass Cyborg (GGC), the new minimally-invasive surgical implant by Google. The 8000 volunteers included notables Oprah Winfrey, Justin Bieber, and Bill Gates.

The Cyborg version of Google Glass will not be available for public use until 2016, explained Google cofounder Sergey Brin. Brin made the announcement outside a robot factory in Baoding, China.

Plans for the project are far-reaching but patient. Brin explained, “Surgery on all humans on the planet would take 14 years, so even if Cyborg is completely successful, that transition won’t be complete until 2030.”

As for now, Google doctors will implant Google Glass in a 15-minute procedure for each of the 8,000 “patients.” Rather than using medical doctors, Google will use its own team of experts to perform the surgeries, all of whom have an Associates of Science (AS) degree in robotics.

“Because this surgery is so simple, we didn’t think it made sense to involve the medical establishment, especially since this is an optional procedure,” said Brin. “It’s as simple as changing a light bulb, just messier.”

According to Brin, integration of Google technology into the human mind will optimize all a person’s thoughts both for search engines and social media (through Google’s Facebook competitor, Google+). Having the surgery will filter the mind for quality content, increasing efficiency and automating creativity.

“We’re excited!” he said. “Organic search will take on a new meaning as the Web gradually becomes more biologically based.”

Still debating the purchase of HTC’s One?  Well, you might want to hold on a bit longer, as word emerged today that HTC might be considering a stock Android version of the handset, much like the Nexus 4.

Little details are known, but a stock Android version of the HTC One would not only remove the contractual obligation one is required to make when buying the phone through a service provider such as AT&T, but it would likely eliminate what is largely perceived as bloatware, HTC’s Sense software.  However, and as great as the stock Android OS is, it could very well negate some positive aspects of the HTC One’s built-in OS, which enhances both the camera and audio performance of the handset – I believe the latter is more hype than anything.

According to Geek, a stock Android HTC One could be announced in the next few weeks, with a possible release arriving sometime in the summer.  Of note, Samsung plans to release a stock, or vanilla version of the Galaxy S4 sometime soon, which has been heavily compared to the HTC One – both US versions sport the same Snapdragon processor.

The Xbox One was officially announced earlier this week and with it came a firestorm of confusion thanks to Microsoft’s inability to explicitly say how the used game market will work with their next-gen console.  Now, according to MCV, who spoke with retailers who were purportedly briefed on the matter, Microsoft plans to implement a control system that might destroy the used game retail market.

So how will it work?  First, Microsoft will require that retailers agree to their terms and conditions, as well as implement their cloud based Azure pre-owned system into their own.  When a customer trades or sells a game, it will be entered into the Azure database, where upon Microsoft will remove the gamer’s authorization from their Xbox Live account.  Once that’s been completed the used game can be resold at the retailers discretion.  However, once that game is resold, both Microsoft and the publisher will both receive a cut of the used game sale, which to a large degree is said to negate much of the retailer’s margin.

If Microsoft follows through with this plan, it could very well lead to the demise of their gaming division, as the PS4 would draw not only a larger customer base, but retailers that will promote the system since it will be in their best interest.

I can hardly complain about Android 4.2.  But then again I don’t have much to compare it to since I switched from an iPhone 4s to a Nexus 4, which shipped with the software already installed.  However, if I had to lament about anything, it would be the camera’s interface.

It’s God awful.  To change exposure, white balance, turn on the front facing camera or activate HDR mode you have to tap and hold your finger on the screen.  Doing this presents a circle of options.  Options that are only partially viewable because your thumb or finger is in the way.  And don’t even get me started on the Nexus 4′s camera quality.

While I can’t speak to the Nexus 4′s crummy camera quality, I’m glad to report that Google has fixed the camera interface in Android 4.3, at least according to this leaked video.  It’s hard to tell if there are any other, significant improvements to the OS since it seems to be an iterative update and not a big leap.  Nevertheless, joy for me.

I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of BMW’s M4.  Unfortunately, that’s neither here nor there.  And until then I’ll have to satiate my lust for the new BMW coupe with what are said to be leaked details about the next-gen M3.

Gone is the naturally aspirated V8, replaced by a twin turbo 3.ol six-cylinder that will purportedly produce up to 450hp.  This should produce a 0-60 time in the mid 4-second range, though that’s largely conjecture, as is the electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Carbon fiber, while used on the previous generation M3, provided you opted for the competition version, will also be available on the newer M3, though rumor points to it being implemented in the hood and other areas of the car to what might amount to a 200+ pound slimming over the last version of BMW’s M3.

Other rumors point to a dual-clutch, hydraulic steering and a variety of body modifications that should well represent the 2015 M3′s powerful drivetrain.

The relatively recent March 5th release of Tomb Raider got an impressive price drop today. The PC download version fell to $13.60 after a 20% off Green Man Gaming coupon code GMG20-LLASD-D8WBQ.

That makes it the lowest price ever by $6 from a legitimate PC download retailer. You’ll receive a Steam key for the purchase, whereby you can add it to your Steam library.

The offer has a pretty short time limit, expiring on Saturday May 25th at 10am Eastern time. With an 86/100 Metascore and rave reviews just about everywhere you look, it’s a tempting price. Just a side note, the coupon above expires May 31st so if you’re itching to fill your Steam library with more stuff, have at it.

Want to read in the dark but don’t want to read on a traditional LCD tablet screen? The Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight is only $80 today only from Best Buy. Generally very positive reviews, and a financially compelling alternatives to say, the Kindle Paperwhite.

Perhaps in part thanks to the flurry of excitement after the Xbox One console announcement earlier this week, Halo 4 on the 360 is down to $18, also at Best Buy, making the lowest price we’ve ever seen by $2. You’ll pay $10 more anywhere else, but why would you? Great reviews, as is typical of the Halo series.

Finally, younger fans of The Social Network and The Newsroom in search of more Sorkin-style razor-sharp lightning-fast wit should check out today’s great deal on The West Wing Complete Series DVD Collection at Amazon, today only. All seven seasons of the critically acclaimed show are included.

	Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight for $79.99 with free shipping (normally $119.99).
	Halo 4 (Xbox 360) for $17.99 with free shipping (next best is $28). Cheapest ever by $2.
	The West Wing: Complete Series Collection (DVD) for $79.99 with free shipping (next best is $183). Cheapest ever by $9.

LAPTOP DEALS

The high-powered Alienware M17x r4 Core i7 gaming laptop gets a good discount today, bringing it to $1,499 – the lowest price we’ve ever seen on this config by more than a hundred dollars. With a 2GB GeForce GTX 660M and 8GB RAM, you should be able to run modern games on decent settings just fine. For a less iconic yet similarly powerful value proposition, the HP Envy dv7t with 1080p screen, the same Core i7, and GT 650M will only run you $880. Finally, if you’re not in need of gaming graphics and just want a workhorse, there’s a great deal on a refurbished Envy dv7 with Core i7, 12GB RAM, 1TB HDD, and 1080p display for only $600.

	Alienware M17x r4 Core i7-3630QM, 2GB GeForce GTX 660M, 8GB RAM for $1,499 with free shipping (normally $1,749 – use coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX). Cheapest ever by $113.
	HP Envy dv7t-7300 Quad Edition Quad Core i7-3630QM, 1080p display, GeForce GT 650M 2GB, Blu-ray for $879.99 with free shipping (normally $1,129.99 – use coupon code MEMPC). Cheapest ever by $85.
	HP ENVY dv7-7243cl Quad Core i7-3630QM, 12GB RAM, 1080p Display, Beats Audio (Refurbished) for $599.99 with free shipping (next best is $800). Cheapest ever by $95.

GAMING DEALS

If you’re looking for a high end Xbox 360 gaming headset, one of the top picks is the Tritton Warhead wireless w/ 7.1 Dolby surround sound. It’s a high end set at its lowest price ever by $30 today at CowBoom. The new Star Trek game dropped to $40 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles today – a new low by $18. If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to pick up SimCity on the cheap, Green Man Gaming has it at $32, which ties its previous low and is almost 50% off the $60 MSRP you see nearly everywhere else.

	Tritton Warhead 7.1 Dolby Wireless Gaming Headset for $169.99 with free shipping (next best is $200). Cheapest ever by $60.
	Star Trek (Xbox 360, PS3) for $39.99 with free shipping (next best is $43). Cheapest ever by $18.
	God of War: Ascension (PS3) for $33.99 plus $3.99 shipping (next best is $40). Cheapest ever by $2.
	SimCity (PC Download) for $32 (next best is $40 – use coupon code GMG20-LLASD-D8WBQ).
	Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods (PC DLC) for $12 (normally $14.99 – use coupon code GMG20-LLASD-D8WBQ).
	Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (PC Download) for $11.99 (next best is $15 – use coupon code GFDMAY20).
	FPS Flashbomb Games: 50% off on 14 games (PC Download) for 50% OFF (normally $0).

MEDIA DEALS

Today we found four stellar deals on devices to keep you entertained. A fairly no-frills Toshiba 50-inch 120Hz LED TV is down to a new low of $630. You can add Internet streaming from Netflix and Hulu Plus as well as DLNA compatibility with a Western Digital Play Media Player for only $50 after using a $10 rebate. Add simulated surround sound without the wires running along the floor or extra speakers with an AudioSource soundbar for $135. And the newest iPod nano is only $94 shipped for a refurbished condition model, making the best deal we’ve ever seen by $21.

	50″ Toshiba 50L5200U 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $629.99 with free shipping (next best is $680 – use this form). Cheapest ever by $20.
	Western Digital Play Media Player WDBMBA0000NBK-HESN for $49.99 with free shipping (next best is $65 – use this form). Cheapest ever by $10.
	AudioSource S3D60 160W Soundbar Speaker System for $129.99 plus $5 shipping (next best is $176).
	Apple iPod nano 16GB (7th gen) – Refurbished for $89.99 plus $3.97 shipping (next best is $115). Cheapest ever by $21.

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Now you can make an artistic statement while out on your daily bike ride with the Monkey Light Pro by MonkeyLectric, which is a Kickstarter campaign that’s a bicycle wheel display system. All you have to do is download your own graphics to the Monkey Light Pro and show them off while you ride! Or you can even choose from their collection of custom artwork. You then mount the Monkey Light Pro to your bike and take your message with you to the streets for all to see. The graphic is visible from both sides of the bike wheel since it will fill the wheel once you’re rolling.

The Monkey Light Pro has four  bars of LEDs which are attached together inside your wheel, so as your ride, the system rotates, using Persistence Of Vision to create an image with its 256 full color LEDs.  It also has sensors to track its speed, heads-up position and rotation direction.  This allows the system to create stable, full-wheel images from 10 to 40 mph.

Cool featured designs include: 8-bit Robots Animation, Retro Tape Deck, Furry Friends Animation and more. More than 10 artists have created artwork specially for the Monkey Light Pro, including David Ope, Yoshi Sodeoka, Devon Penney, Shelley Eshkar, Kevin Kunzman, Natalie Walsh, Katya Popova, Noah Vawter and more. The Monkey Light Pro fits a lot of common bike wheels, so you’ll seriously turn heads when riding in the streets with the Monkey Light Pro on your wheels! You’ll be able to get them if you pledge $795 or more.

Because having the perfect cup of tea is practically a necessity comes the Loop Tea Strainer that’s stick-shaped and lets you scoop tea leaves directly without having to use a spoon. It has a slidable side that allows you to add the tea leaves to neatly place in your cup of hot water and is really easy to remove to clean it.

Available in either black or white, the Loop Tea Strainer is designed by TENT and manufactured by Kinto. Its small and compact size makes it great to travel with so that  you always have the perfect cup of tea wherever you go! The tea strainer and stand comes is made from stainless steel, ABS resin and Polypropylene. Plus, its modern and minimalist design makes it a stylish kitchen device that will complement any modern kitchen decor.It also makes a great gift for any tea lovers you know and only costs $17 and can be purchased from Emmo Home.

LEGO builds are seriously reaching new heights these days. Recently, a full scale LEGO Star Wars X-Wing has taken the title of the largest model in history using a whopping 5,335,200 bricks! The 1:1 scale model of the X-Wing fighter can actually fit the real life Luke Skywalker, measuring 11-feet tall and 43-feet long with a 44-foot wingspan. That’s a HUGE difference from the official $60 LEGO 9493 X-Wing Fighter that only has 650 pieces, making it 42 times the size of any commercial LEGO set.

It even weighs 45,979.61 pounds and took 32 builders to create in a matter of 17,336 hours, or about four months. Because it’s so big and heavy, an internal metal structure was added to support the massive build. And unlike the original set, it features engines that glow and roar like the X-Wing in the Star Wars movies! It arrived to the States by ship form the LEGO Model Shop in Kladno, Czech Republic and had to be stored in an airplane hanger near New York City, before moving to its display in the middle of Times Square for all to see. It’ll then travel to the West Coast to make an appearance  in California, where it will stay until the end of this year.

Better late than, later than never. That’s what my Aunt used to say. It’s exactly how I feel about a little package the nice FedEx man left us today. It’s the Samsung Galaxy S4, arguably the hottest phone on the the market. Christen did a piece today, stating the GS4 is selling at a rate of 1 every 0.25 seconds. That means half a dozen or so were sold while you were reading those first 3-sentences. Insanity! But is the thing any good? I think a better question… Of the current crop available to consumers, which is the phone to have? We’re not deciding that here.

I literally just freed the thing from it cardboard captivity. But right off the bat there are a couple things I notice right away.

1. Design

This phone is decidedly lighter than the HTC One and feels just slightly more comfortable in-hand than the One. But the backside is overly smooth and incessantly slippery. I have yet to drop the HTC One. However the Samsung Galaxy S4… uh no comment.

2. Display

The Samsung Galaxy S4 uses an 5-inch full HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display. While movies pop very nicely with incredibly clarity, static images and general viewing through webpages and gallery photos are much darker with a surprising lack of brightness when compared to the HTC One. But that’s typical IPS panel display versus AMOLED.

3. Give Me Some Skin

Samsung is using a custom skin of the Android 4.2.2. It’s very stylish and shows the company’s skill in UI design. But it’s too much on this screen size. There are too many overlapping functions, slide-out features and it bugs me that the main browser interface is always visible. It should only make itself known when needed. URL fields and Forward or Back buttons are never exciting enough for this.

4. Easy Mode Is…

Yet before you boo and hiss. There is an Easy Mode which puts forth a simpler interface. This can be activated in Settings. It limits the homescreens to 3, uses very basic fonts and larger app icons. Kicking things back up to the crazy clutter of the skinned interface is just as easy.

5. Air View

Air View is very interesting too. It needs time to marinate on my feeble brain with more use, as I can’t get it to work reliably. But right now I definitely like the truncated previews of various content like emails, notifications and the like. It’s suppose to work by hovering your finger over email or texts and such to see what’s within or expand for full viewing.

6. Flipboard Intergration?!

Yes please! I’m a big fan of Flipboard. In fact all that I love about BlinkFeed is like a bitsized Flipboard, yet bitsized nonetheless. The Galaxy S4 ships with a sweet Flipboard integration so you can get all your news and social media updates all in one super snazzy-looking interface.

7.  Business as Usual

There is a lot of business as usual on the Galaxy S4. It’s been stated before only for me to experience it firsthand. There is just not a lot that is obviously new to the Galaxy S4. But what is here is handsome and trustworthy as Samsung is no slouch at this game. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor is just as peppy as you would expect and urgently responds to commands. The audible “bloops” and “blops” make an unwelcomed returned, yet again.

That’s going to be it for this initial at-a-glance once-over. Next up on our Samsung Galaxy S4 editorial roadmap is a side-by-side comparison. With which device, you ask? Stay tuned!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love Sonos.  And while I’ll gladly welcome any new product from the wireless speaker company, I have to be honest and convey my skepticism when they revealed that they had in fact been working on a soundbar for a few years.

Soundbars are a type of speaker that emerged with the proliferation of the flatscreen TV.  Much like the TVs that measure no more than an inch or two thick, the soundbar significantly reduces not only setup time thanks to the two plug (power and optical TOSLINK) design, but clutter as speaker cord is negated from the equation.  And while very few soundbars can truly replace an individual set of speakers, they’re most certainly an excellent compromise, especially in the face of convenience.

So, the question lingers: can Sonos build a soundbar that not only competes with the big boys, such as Yamaha, Vizio, Bose, and those alike, but can it masquerade as a complete home theater solution and all the while fit seamlessly into the brand’s wireless ecosphere.  But before I answer that question, or attempt to do so, we’re gonna examine the convenience and simplicity of Sonos and what it means to opt for this solution over one of their Connect boxes.

So if you’re not familiar with Sonos, they’re largely a wireless speaker company.  It’s an over simplification, as Sonos has built not just wireless speakers, but wireless speakers that effectively have their own music server built-in.  Think about it.  Airplay requires a phone, tablet or computer to playback music, as does any Bluetooth speaker.  The phone is the server; it connects to the web, translates the music and beams it to the connected speaker.  Sonos on the other hand requires a phone, tablet or computer to control the system, but doesn’t require it to be present or connected at all times to playback music.  Instead a small box connects to your home’s router, which acts as a bridge (in fact that’s its name, Bridge) to the speakers (you can also plug directly in with an Ethernet cord).  Once the bridge is connected, the speaker can run on its own, connect with other speakers, and playback music and radio from a vast array of sources (Spotify, Rhapsody, Pandora, etc).

Until the Sonos Playbar emerged, the company offered two speakers, and two boxes to connect to your existing speaker system.  None of them were an all-in-one home theater solution, though the boxes, the Connect and the Connect:Amp, can turn your existing home theater into a Sonos connectible system.  The Playbar, provided you’ve got a bridge installed, can run completely on its own.

Much like many soundbars of today, the Playbar can be mounted on the wall.  It can also be perched in front of a TV, and thanks to an infrared pass through port it can block your set’s sensor and still allow you to still switch channels and inputs.  Moreover, you can program any remote to work with the Playbar with a few button presses, allowing you to control volume and muting on the Playbar.

That said, the Playbar is super simple to set up; just plugin in the power and TOSLINK (included) cord.  Then install and fire up the app on your Android or iOS device and follow the onscreen instructions.  You’ll be asked how far you sit from the associated speakers, and if you have rear speakers or a sub to set up.  Ultimately, the onscreen prompts take all of the guess-work out of the process, so much so that even the tech illiterate can get the system up and running in a matter of minutes.

If you happen to have two Play:3 speakers and a sub, you can also add those to the mix and create a 5.1 surround sound experience.  What’s convenient is that since the very infrastructure of Sonos is wireless, there are no cords to connect to the speakers – you’ll just need to ensure that the sub and Play:3s are in proximity to an electrical outlet.

Delay on the Playbar seems to be a non-issue between the onscreen action and the audio, which has been a point of contention for those that have used the Play:3s as their TV speakers. In other words, everything happens in realtime, as it should, though you can slow the Playbar’s output if necessary in the iOS or Android app.  I did however experience a slight delay between the Playbar and the speakers placed in other rooms in my home.  It’s slight, but nevertheless perceivable.  Provided the speakers aren’t in too close of proximity to one and other it should be a none issue.

Aside from set up, there are few user options. That is to say, the Sonos Playbar is mostly plug and play once it’s installed.  It’s not compatible with DTS, or really any other brand of audio decoding other than Dolby Digital.  And for that, it very well might remain a non-option for audiophiles, amongst other reasons.

The app, if you’re already using a Sonos set of speakers is the same, only now there is a TV option, which allows you to pipe TV audio throughout your home – if you so chose, you could listen to a game that is otherwise blocked out from radio on every speaker in your house.  In addition to the volume slider, the Playbar can be set to Night Sound (this reduces bass) and/or Speech enhancement (this option increases the onscreen voices).  Both latter options work well, though I should note that I often left them on by mistake as there is no visual indicator on the Playbar itself to tell you when they’re activated.

If you happen to lay the Playbar in front of your TV you’ll want to position it different than you would if mounted on a wall – you’ll lay it on its back such that the 9-speakers fire upwards.  Ideally you’ll have the Soundbar positioned at eye level, or just below, but Sonos says that it can work above the TV as well, which is how I had it positioned, facing me.

My Playbar has been used extensively through and through.  I’ve listened to a wide range of music, watched different types of movies, and maxed out the volume on a large number of occasions (at all hours of the night).  So suffice to say it’s well broken in.

Alone the Playbar is fairly well-rounded when it comes to music.  It struggles a bit in with the higher frequency lows, but can handle frequencies in the lower range with a surprising amount of response and fullness.  That said, the Playbar is largely unsatisfying without the Sonos Sub, especially when watching an action packed flick or even when listening to music.  Unfortunately, that won’t make up for the loss in sound detail you’d otherwise get if listening on a standalone, multipart system, but that should to a large degree goes without saying.

Compared to two Play:3s that have been paired together to form a stereo pair there is not a vast difference, at least from a fidelity standpoint. However, sonically the Playbar is able to achieve forced, or fabricated surround sound, something no amount of Play:3s can accomplish, and it does it quite well.  Toss in a pair of Play:3s with the Playbar and the Sub and you’ve got a complete system, a full 5.1-channel surround system.  There is some compromise since the rear speakers are wireless, but it’s one that will largely go unnoticed since they’re only handling the surrounding sounds.

That said, I found that the soundstage felt much bigger when the Playbar was laying its back, firing audio towards the ceiling.  The two Play:3s surround speakers don’t add much to the mix when listening to music as it’s very much an all channel scenario.  However, in terms of movie playback they can provide true discrete channel surround sound, though in my opinion there is something lost in fidelity, or accuracy of the sound otherwise compared to a true standalone surround system – possibly because of their wireless nature.  Sonically the Playbar by itself its relatively fulfilling, but once you have a taste of the Sonos SUB you’ll wonder how you lived without it.  In other words, you don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve tried it.

All speakers included (Sub, 2x Play:3s and the Playbar) the total price is $1996…before tax.  So the argument quickly becomes convenience versus bang for buck.  A boxed solution with satellite speakers could cost $1,000, add in a mid-ranged amp $400, and a Sonos connect, and you’re only truthfully saving a few hundred.  And that few hundred doesn’t account for convenience (iPhone/Android controllable with music), setup up time (no speaker cord to tangle/mess with), versatility (the Play:3s can be repurposed as needed) and all together simplicity (just plug it in and you’re off to the races).  And although one could quickly point to the loss in fidelity in terms of the Sonos wireless ecosystem, which mind you is only perceivable to some, I quickly point you to the fact that nobody does wireless audio better.

I recently reviewed Sonicare’s Diamondclean Toothbrush. Included is a glass cup.  It serves not only as a receptacle for the toothbrush to charge and store it, but as a rinse cup.  But have you ever looked at the bottom of your toothbrush holder? If so, then you know you’d probably rather lick the toilet seat before drinking from it.

Lack of witty names aside, the Toothbrush Cup solves the aforementioned problem with a two-in-one approach.  On one end of the cup there is a small slot for a traditional, manual toothbrush. Flip the cup over and it reveals a full-sized cup ideal for drinking and washing your mouth out.

So you see, you can store your toothbrush and drink from the same cup without any of the gross implications associated with the normal toothbrush holder.  Moreover, the toothbrush slot has a hole at the bottom, allowing water to drain through and prevent would be build up.

You can buy the Toothbrush Cup from TheFancy for $11.

I cook. I wear an apron.  And if strangers come over I suddenly feel emasculated.  It’s a ridiculous association, but sorry, I can’t help feel that way.  I could very well fold the apron in half, which is what most professional chefs do.  But alas, I don’t have the luxury of a laundry service or a chef’s jacket.

Enter the Tactical BBQ Apron.  This is cooking badassery…if such a thing exists. It’s jam-packed with all the pockets, slots, and even hooks for hanging, well, hookable utensils.   Moreover, there a select number of velcro pouches for storing more sensitive items, such as a smartphone, or the world’s finest spices.  And of course there is the traditional tactical MOLLE system loops, which should work with a wide variety of kitchen items.

Thinkgeek sells the Tactical BBQ Apron for $35.  It’s 100% cotton, which means it’s machine washable and as they warn is not design for actual combat other than a BBQ grill.

“Terminator 2″, better known as T2, has long begged the question if liquid nitrogen can in fact freeze a liquid metal robot.  Unfortunately, that question will forever go unanswered, at least for the foreseeable future.  What I can tell you, though, is that liquid nitrogen can, and will instantly chill select objects to frozen.  And there is probably no better way of accomplishing this than using the CRY-AC-3 Liquid Nitrogen Dispenser.

Just fire it at just about anything and you’ll instantly freeze it to 320 degrees below zero.  According to Wired (video demo above), doctors use it to burn off skin lesions, such as warts and those alike, while chefs use it to create new culinary masterpieces.  I’d be more interested in seeing how an iPhone 5 or Samsung S4 would react to it.

Strapped for cash?  You could get a job and work for it. Or you could opt for the freeloader approach and ask your parents for a “nonrefundable” loan.  The latter example is a bit how I feel about AT&T’s newest fee that has been tacked onto post paid contracts.

The fee, $0.61 a month, started on May 1st and amounts to $7.32 a year, a figure that hardly affords one a brewski at a bar.  For the most part this fee will go unnoticed by many consumers.  However, when you consider that AT&T has over 70 million post paid customers, they’re netting a quick $512,400,000 more a year from something they’re calling a “mobility administrative fee“.

It’s impossible for anyone to verify the validity of the fee, though AT&T says that it will “help cover certain expenses, such as interconnection and cell site rents and maintenance.”  I suppose it’s not worth making a big stink about, but I’m sure all AT&T customers wouldn’t mind seeing a tangible representation of this new fee, such as improved service, better customer service, or faster data speeds where they were once dismal.

Both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One went on sale around the same time, give or take a few days dependent on carrier.  And while they effectively had the same starting line, the Samsung S4 has now sold – wait for it – a staggering 10 million units worldwide since launch.  The S3 on the other hand took 50-days to reach this goal, the S2 five months to reach the same goal, and the Galaxy S seven months.

According to Samsung that’s four Galaxy S4s sold every second.  The Samsung S4 is now the fastest selling Android phone ever, and outpaces the previous record holder, the Samsung S3.

Samsung GALAXY S4 Hits 10 Million Milestone in First Month

(SEOUL–Korea Newswire) May 23, 2013 — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that global channel sales of its GALAXY S4, a life companion for a richer, fuller, simpler life, has surpassed 10 million units sold in less than one month after its commercial debut. Launched globally on April 27, the phone is estimated to be selling at a rate of four units per second.

The GALAXY S4 sets a new record for Samsung, generating sales quicker than any of its predecessors. Sales of the GALAXY S III reached the 10-million mark 50 days after its launch in 2012, while the GALAXY S II took five months and the GALAXY S seven months to reach the same milestone.

“On behalf of Samsung, I would like to thank the millions of customers around the world who have chosen the Samsung GALAXY S4. At Samsung we’ll continue to pursue innovation inspired by and for people,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of the IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

The GALAXY S4 was developed to enhance the meaningful moments in our lives through its innovative features and superior hardware. It has the world’s first Full HD Super AMOLED display that showcases images at their very best on a 5-inch screen with 441ppi. Equipped with a powerful rear 13MP camera, the GALAXY S4 also boasts a Dual Camera function that allows simultaneous use of both front and rear cameras. The GALAXY S4′s new and innovative software features include Air View and Air Gesture for effortless tasks, while it also keeps users up-to-date with information about their health and wellbeing using S Health.

Samsung GALAXY S4 is available in more than 110 countries and will gradually be rolled out to a total of 155 countries in cooperation with 327 partners.

Samsung is planning to introduce more color variations to meet various consumer tastes and preferences. In addition to the currently available White Mist and Black Forest, new color iterations will be added this summer, including Blue Arctic and Red Aurora, followed by Purple Mirage and Brown Autumn.

Well it’s official. The GeForce GTX 780 video card is a real thing. As of today it officially kickstarts the 700 series of graphic crunching video card solutions. So before our review I wanted to strut some handsome pics around, offer some initial impressions and talk up some of the less obvious perks ushered in by this new behemoth.

True to form, Nvidia strikes first with what will be the flagship offering in the series. What we have here is another reference card straight from Nvidia. It looks identical and features the same specs as the vanilla retail version from folks like EVGA, Gigabyte and Asus. Each company will offer various models of the GeForce GTX 780 for customers to mull over. Several of these will features custom cooling solutions and enhanced clock times. EVGA for instance, has crafted a pretty slick dual fan cooling unit dubbed the ACX (Active Cooling Xtreme), It uses larger custom-made fins for the fans, a dual ball bearing system to enhance longevity and a dual cooling subsystem to minimize air turbulence between fans, for more even airflow.

The GeForce GTX video card itself is powered by the Kepler GK110. This is a slightly neutered version of the same die used in the insanely powerful Nvidia made GeForce GTX Titan video card. While that card is still the single most powerful card on the market, the GTX 780 is a damn close runner according to both Nvidia and our initial testing. Without out short-changing our ultimate review, I can say we’re seen numbers like mid 60 frames per second in Battlefield 3 at 2560 x 1600. You 1080p players will drool over what this thing can do at your native resolution. Even Crysis concedes coveted frames per second in heaps with a solid 50fps at High Quality with FXAA enabled. If you’re happy with 1080p gaming then really you can stop ready start shopping for your new GTX 780. But those with more probing curiosity should stay tuned for the final review.

The GTX 780 brings many similar features sets to the table that it’s older 600 series brethren enjoyed. yet now these have been refined and buffed. There is a new Nvidia’s SMX Engine for faster mutliprocessor streaming and speedier geometry. Nvidia’s cool GPU Boost grows up to 2.0. The 780 is supposed to boost to 900Mhz but our is hitting 993Mhz. Oh yeah! FXAA, Nvidia decidedly more impressive anti-aliasing returns, as does TXAA. At 2x, TXAA looks like 8x MSAA minus the performance hit. Adaptive V-sync is back and so is Framerate target. Both are good for maintaining stable consistent speeds without overtaxing your card.

But the coolest feature this new 700 series will bring is on-card video recording using Kepler’s built-in H.264 and Nvidia’s upcoming Shadow Play application. Nvidia tells us Shadow Play can work just like Fraps or your other video capture du jour. Set a hotkey and turn it on when you want capture something and turn it off when you’re done. Or you can set it to auto-record up to your last 20mins of gameplay. using Kepler’s built-in H.264 encoder means gamers will only see a 2% or less hit to your performance. That’s better than PlayClaw and Dxtory for those keeping count. What even better… Shadow Play will work with any Kepler based video card. So 600 series owners can get in on the action too. Shadow Play will be available sometime in June.

The GeForce GTX 780 video cards are available today May 23rd for $649 MSRP!

For those in the market for a rugged, durable Ultrabook, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook just dropped to its lowest price ever thanks to the MEMORIALSALE coupon. It comes with a Core i5 2.7GHz processor and 128GB SSD. You even get your pick of Windows 7 or Windows 8, which is pretty big considering how divisive the two systems have become. The X1 Carbon is probably one of our favorite high-end Windows Ultrabook (in a very mixed line-up of budget to premium machines).

Metro Last Light Season Pass was announced a couple days ago, and we’ve already found a 20% off discount on it at Green Man Gaming after coupon GMG20-LLASD-D8WBQ. The Pass includes four upcoming DLC packs – the Faction Pack, Tower Pack, Developer Pack, and Chronicles Pack. First DLC is expected to land in June of next month.

Finally, Woot is selling the popular Dyson AM04 Hot + Cool fan / heater for $200 in refurbished condition via Amazon. The unit has generally very good reviews at Dyson’s site, with only a few reviews complaining of the fan’s noise level. Otherwise performance sounds good, and you’ll save nearly $60 by buying refurbished.

	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook Core i5-3337U 2.7GHz, 128GB SSD for $1,146.65 with free shipping (normally $1,349 – use coupon code MEMORIALSALE). Cheapest ever by $22.
	Metro: Last Light – Season Pass (PC Download) for $12 (normally $14.99 – use coupon code GMG20-LLASD-D8WBQ).
	Dyson AM04 Hot + Cool Fan Heater (Refurbished) for $199.99 with free shipping (next best is $258).

LAPTOP DEALS

Need a laptop capable of top-level performance? The Alienware M18x r2 1080p gaming laptop is down to $1,575 today and includes a Core i7 processor, 2GB GeForce GTX 675M, and 16GB of RAM. If you’d like a cheaper way to get a 1080p screen on a laptop, we found an HP Envy dv7t-7300 laptop with a slightly higher Core i7 and a 1080p screen for $850. Movie buffs can also snag a dv7t with a Blu-ray drive $750 after coupon. For more modest but still better-than-basic performance, we found an Asus Ultrabook with Core i5 processor, 6GB RAM, and a hybrid HDD + SSD for faster bootup and loading.

	Alienware M18x r2 1080p Core i7-3610QM, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M, 16GB RAM, 500GB + 32GB SSD for $1,575 with free shipping (normally $2,349).
	HP Envy dv6t-7300 Quad Edition Core i7-3630QM, 1080p display, GeForce GT 650M for $849.99 with free shipping (normally $1,099.99 – use coupon code MEMPC). Cheapest ever by $40.
	HP Envy dv7t-7300 Quad Edition Quad Core i7-3630QM, 8GB RAM, GeForce GT 650M 2GB, Blu-ray, 9 cell Lithium Ion Battery for $749.99 with free shipping (normally $999.99 – use coupon code MEMPC). Cheapest ever by $65.
	Asus S56CA-DH51 Core i5-3317U, 6GB RAM, 750GB HDD + 24GB SSD for $499.91 with free shipping (next best is $637).

GAMING DEALS

The hit BioShock Infinite is down to $40 again on console. Both Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel for PS3 and Sleeping Dogs for PC download are at the lowest prices we’ve seen today. And if you’re a fan of space shooter style games, GamersGate has a sale on dozens of space-related games and DLC packs with discounts of up to 75% off the usual prices.

	Bioshock Infinite (PS3, Xbox 360) for $39.99 with free shipping (normally $59.99).
	Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel (PS3) for $30.82 with free shipping (next best is $35). Cheapest ever by $12.
	Sleeping Dogs (PC Download) for $6.25 (next best is $30). Cheapest ever by $1.
	Space Battle Weekend Sale: Games and DLCs (PC Download) for up to 75% off.

AROUND THE HOUSE DEALS

Need to apply a new coat of paint to the exterior of your house? Pick up the refurbished Simpson 3,000 PSI pressure washer we found for $250 today. And if it’s the indoors that needs cleaning, the refurbished Dyson DC14 All Floors vacuum is the lowest price we’ve ever seen at $175.

	Simpson MSV3025-S 3,000 PSI Gas Powered Heavy Duty Pressure Washer (Refurbished) for $249.99 with free shipping (next best is $379).
	Dyson DC14 All Floors Vacuum (Refurbished) for $169.99 plus $5 shipping (next best is $249). Cheapest ever by $64.

ALL THE OTHER GOOD DEALS

Those looking for a large barebones HDTV need look no further than the refurbished 50-inch Toshiba LED model we found for $455 shipped. If you’ve ever run out of charge on your cell phone, there’s a battery pack that’ll charge a device three times before it needs to be plugged back into the wall. The Canon EOS Rebel T5i DSLR with 18-55mm lens – the newest model in Canon’s popular entry-level DSLR line – is $800 today. And for a more compact option that’s still capable of taking great-looking photos, the Olympus E-P3 mirrorless camera with 14-42mm lens is the lowest price we’ve ever seen at $369.

	50″ Toshiba 50M2U 1080p LED HDTV (Refurbished) for $449.99 plus $5 shipping (next best is $500).
	AC Adapter and Battery Pack for USB Devices for $9.99 with free shipping (normally $39.99).
	Canon EOS Rebel T5i 18MP DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens for $799.99 with free shipping (next best is $899).
	Olympus E-P3 12.3 MP Pen Digital Camera with 14-42mm Lens for $369 with free shipping (next best is $600). Cheapest ever by $10.

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Never miss another of life’s special moments with the Memoto Lifelogging Camera that you wear as it creates a continuous life log that you can go back to and relive the memories. Said to be the world’s smallest wearable camera, the Memoto Camera does everything a regular camera does, such as taking pictures and registering GPS position, yet it has no controls. Instead, it automatically takes photos as  you go, then the Memoto app seamlessly and effortlessly organizes them for you.

As long as you wear it, it’ll constantly take pictures. The camera takes two, geotagged photos a minute with recorded orientation so that the app can show them upright no matter how you are wearing the camera. And don’t worry about it getting damaged in weather since it’s weather protected. The app itself provides you pictures of every single moment of your life while wearing it and provides info on when you took it and where you were. Batteries can last up to two day of  use and to recharge them, you connect the camera to your computer; at the same time the photos are automatically uploaded to Memoto’s servers. It comes in three different colors: Arctic White, Graphite Grey and Memoto Orange and retails for $279.