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Three Rings officially launches 'Whirled'

For years, one of the biggest success stories in the casual game space has been San Francisco-based Three Rings and its hit, Puzzle Pirates, which has earned more than $14 million.

Now, the company has officially launched its Whirled platform, a system designed around user-created Flash-based massively multiplayer games that gives developers a way to make money with their creations.

Whirled has been in a closed beta for months, and it is still technically in beta, explained Three Rings CEO Daniel James. But the platform is now open to the general public and its money-making structure is available to any … Read more

The 404 193: Where we prune the hedges of many small villages

Rana Sobhany of Medialets joins the show today for a riveting discussion of Sarah Palin centerfolds, Disney attack dogs, push up jocks and why women love Shia LeBeouf. Also, the death knells of Muxtape give way to a new music site, the future of IP addresses and, of course, your weekend box office. And yes, Sen. McCain apologized for missing the show yesterday, he was in a serious make-up session before the big debate. Wouldn't want to look too much like Emperor Palpatine, now would we?

Dan the Mantern here. My favorite story of the day, besides Justin's report on his first ever hockey game last night, concerns a mysterious package of hot dogs. Apparently, a package wrapped in duct tape was located outside Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Police evacuated the stadium and, even after discovering the innocuous contents of the package, decided to detonate those red hots. A mist of charred beef smell immediately shrouded the city. Really? You're gonna waste a bomb on a pack of hot dogs? Couldn't they have just called in champion hot dog eater Takeru Kobayashi, he can swallow like 20 dogs every ten seconds. Even better, they could have airlifted a local Boy Scout troop to the scene for a good ol' fashioned weenie roast.

EPISODE 193 Download today's podcast Read more

Three-Tier Oven Rack makes room for dessert

Sometimes it's the simplest ideas that offer the best solutions. The idea of having oven racks always at the ready is as simple as it is perfect. Pile up the food and cook it all at once. Some forethought will certainly have to go into what you cook and when to check it, just by the simple fact alone that the oven loses so much heat every time you open the door.

But just look at that photo right there; doesn't that look delicious? Well, those veggies could be a little better seasoned. However, it's the thought … Read more

Free MP3s courtesy of Scion Audio Visual and Daptone Records

As if the original tracks weren't dope enough, Scion Audio Visual has released Scion CD Sampler - Volume 19: Daptone Records Remixed, featuring all-star producers like DJ Spinna, Large Professor, Mark Ronson, Kenny Dope, Ticklah, and Hank Shocklee reworking classic tracks from Daptone artists Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, The Sugarman Three & Co., The Budos Band, and The Daktaris.… Read more

The Love Bug on three wheels

Online stores like Hammacher Schlemmer are turning into little Harrods. To prove the point, one needn't look any further than this two-person, three-wheeled scooter coupe on its virtual storefront.

In addition to a retro-chic design, it has all the trappings of a miniature car: a 50cc air-cooled, four-stroke engine can reach 30 miles per hour on a 1.5-gallon fuel tank that's good for 100 miles with two riders up to 400 pounds. The coupe sports a steel tube frame covered in a fiberglass body and comes with 13-inch alloy wheels, rubber tires, front disc brakes and rear … Read more

Speaker system looks like a blast

Boynq, the company that may have the best name in all of the Netherlands, actually debuted this fashion-conscious multi-tasking speaker system earlier in the year at CES, but it's worth noting again now that it's finally arriving on the market.

Along with its "Audio Lens Technology" surround sound, the strangely named "Alibi" includes a microphone and a Webcam peeking out of the top, with an ingeniously situated volume control in the form of a silver band that looks like a girdle tightened around its waist. We were sold on this adornment based on its … Read more

JVC's new high-def hard drive camcorder

Earlier this year, JVC released the Everio GZ-HD7, an ambitious high-definition hard drive camcorder. Apparently it wasn't quite enough, because JVC just announced a smaller, less expensive follow-up to the HD7, the Everio GZ-HD3.

Strikingly similar to the HD7, the HD3 uses the same 3-chip sensor configuration and the same 60GB hard drive as its bigger brother. Unlike the HD7's 10x Fujinon lens, though, the HD3 uses a new 10x Konica Minolta-branded lens. The HD3 crams all of these neat features into a smaller, lighter body, measuring over an inch shorter and weighing a fifth of a pound … Read more

VentureOne: A new angle on hybrids

Hybrid cars? Blah. Three-wheeled-cars? Blah. Three-wheeled hybrid cars? Blah.

Tilting three-wheeled hybrid cars? Now that's worth craving. Venture Vehicles has unveiled plans for its VentureOne, a two-seat plug-in three-wheeler with a glass canopy roof that can out-accelerate a Porsche Boxster, and gets 100 miles to the gallon. If that's not enough to get you reaching for your checkbook (estimated price is less than $20,000), then this might be: The VentureOne's passenger compartment and front wheel tilt when cornering for that authentic motocross experience.

The VentureOne will come with three engine choices: two gasoline-electric hybrids and one … Read more

Digg in 3D

Flash guru Michael Battle has created a 3D version of Digg. You can zoom around all the popular stories on Digg's technology page using your mouse and scroll wheel. It's not exactly the most useful interface, but it's a ton of fun and it's very slick. If you get lost, just refresh your browser. There's also a complete list of advanced navigation instructions here.

Seeing Web sites in 3D reminded me of the 1995 movie Hackers, where a young Jesse Bradford hacks into a complex computer network by flying around a magical city of what … Read more

Forget the chairs--get a massage bed

Anyone who's been to a mall in the last decade or so knows that massage chairs are a dime a dozen (well, maybe a few grand a dozen). But what about a massage bed? Now we're talking.

The "Heated Shiatsu MassageBed" from Relax The Back isn't just one of those vibrating quarter-operated motel beds, as its $1,995 price tag indicates. Not only does it have all the features of a fully loaded massage chair, but it also has 14 rollers made of jade. That's right, as in the jewelry.

"Since jade is … Read more