swimming

LAS VEGAS--The UWaterG2 MP3 player is truly tiny. Weighing in under an ounce, it's 1.75 inches tall and 1.25 inches wide. Even with its new orange "life jacket" that hooks around the top to keep it afloat (see photo), the device feels weightless.

And while the UWaterG2 has not been entirely reinvented for this year's CES, it's about to get a major upgrade this spring, with models that boast 4GB and 8GB of memory instead of the current 2GB. (The 2GB model is on sale in time for CES for $59.95; no … Read more

Bet my 10-in-1 Swiss Army Knife that we're all multifunctional gadget geeks at heart, particularly when it's oh-so-cleverly conceived. So watch the video of this amazingly cool outdoor terrace, called the Mutandor, which can convert into--ready for this?--a swimming pool.

You'll probably never tire of showing this one off to your guests just for the priceless expressions on their faces. That's not all. Extreme Exclusive has eight other surprises with the Mutandor, which it says can serve as windscreens, a party hall, podium, pool cover, pool with movable pool floor, and more. Customized by Extreme … Read more

SereneScreen Marine Aquarium is a realistic, high-definition screensaver that converts your computer screen into a vibrant, colorful saltwater aquarium. You can choose from 27 different exotic fish species--from the Addis Butterflyfish to the Yellow Tang--and SereneScreen can display up to 30 fish at a time, with an easy interface for creating and customizing your own sets of fish (including an option for random species). You also have settings for autopanning, framerate, iTunes playlists, and a bubble column (from a virtual aerator, with optional bubble sound).

SereneScreen has an optional "crystal" paperweight in the tank, too, which you can … Read more

Most of us gym-goers are dependent on our carefully tailored workout playlists to keep our legs moving during an otherwise dreary exercise. Needless to say, this entertainment is difficult to achieve underwater, but that hasn't stopped well-known swim gear brand Finis from helping swimmers have some fun, too. With this in mind, the company has updated its unique waterproof MP3 player, the SwimP3. Version 2 is carefully designed for comfort and practicality, and it's sure to sound a lot better than the splashes of a freestyle stroke.

Like the first version, SwiMP3 v2 uses bone conduction technology. It … Read more

A new Web-based rental service called BookSwim describes itself as Netflix for books.

After checking it out, that seems to be a fair enough summary.

The pricing doesn't seem to be quite as good a deal as Netflix; the fees are slightly higher and the average price of books is somewhat lower than for movies. But it's in the ballpark.

For example, BookSwim offers a subscription with three books out at a time for $19.98 per month. BookSwim covers shipping both ways via U.S. Postal Service media mail, though books over two pounds do carry an … Read more

Good: double amputee gets prosthetic legs so she can walk. Better: double amputee gets realistic-looking mermaid tail so she can swim. Awesome: it's developed and built by Weta, the special-effects company that did work for the "Lord of the Rings" movies, as well as "King Kong" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" series.

Nadya Vessey's legs were amputated below the knee when she was a child due to illness. At one point, reports Stuff, a child asked her what happened to her legs and she told him she was a mermaid. The idea … Read more

While everyone else is pulling out their hair trying to make the slimmest iPhone case possible, the geniuses over at Fins 4 Fun are going in the complete opposite direction with their swim fin-shaped cell phone holster. If you just can't get enough negative attention, this holster's gonna pull you out of your rut, one earful of sand at a time.

The fin isn't quite as big as an adult swimming fin, but it's just large enough to make you look like a total loser. And just so you know they're not completely joking with the design, the "heel strap" is adjustable to fit all the latest smartphones, as well as other small items like MP3 players and digital cameras. Heck, you can even put a pack of Altoids in there, as long as the dimensions don't exceed 2 inches wide by 4.75 inches high and .75 inches deep.

Buyers will appreciate the disclaimer on the Fins 4 Fun Web site that reads: "WARNING: This product may attract a lot of attention! Celebrate good times." Understatement of the year. I don't know about you guys, but the first person I see using this little guy is going to get an ice cream cone on their head, courtesy of one Justin Yu--maybe they should add that to the warning. The Fin holster is available now for $19.99.

More images after the jump.… Read more

On today's show, we discuss the Halloween weekend, our escapades into Hasidism, and a few very poor costume choices. The whole time, Wilson just can't stop looking at his self-made portraits, so we concentrate our efforts in welcoming up-and-coming videographer Marvic Paulo to the show. He joins us in discussing our apathy toward Circuit City, defends the heavenly burritos from Chipotle, and we each reveal the shrouded secrets of our tragically bullied childhoods. TOO REAL!

Good friend and dedicated 404 listener Marvic Paulo helps us figure out a few stories on today's show, one of which involves a Web site that gives children the opportunity to report school bullies and other deviants in complete anonymity online. The site, School Tip Line, is designed to give young people a voice to report information about thefts, drugs, and harassment. Wait, what?! I think I've heard of this site, it's made by the founders of narc.com, jabroni.com, and howtogetyourbuttkicked.com, right? Don't get me wrong, I definitely got bullied in middle school, but I did what everyone else did: enrolled in a karate class, watched a bunch of Ninja Turtles episodes, and befriended the biggest kid I could find. What happened to good ol' American ingenuity? You wonder why our nation breeds socially inept hermits, it starts when they can weasel their way out of facing real life scenarios such as these! While you're here, why don't you check out my site, www.stopSNITCHING2009.com.

Don't forget about this week's Video game contest! You have a week to send in your custom LittleBigPlanet or MotorStorm: Pacific Rift box art submissions; the covers must feature The 404 in some capacity and this time, try and keep them PG-13. Need pics of The 404? Try our Flickr or the Facebook Group!

On today's show: Heroic and controversial news from the 2008 Summer Olympics, Michael Phelps dominates the competition, Chinese gymnasts gettin' shady wit it, child abuse in the form of gymnastics training, the great bigfoot unveiling, Favre team traitor trading, Hawaii Five-0 remake, and submission from our 404 GoAnimate competition!

I know that we've talked almost nonstop about the Olympics this week, but we have to considering all the crazy controversy going on this year. I actually can't remember the last time I've heard so much news about the Olympics that didn't have to do directly … Read more