metals

'Metal-Detect-Car' finds your buried treasure

In simpler times remote-controlled toys were just meant to have fun--like slot cars without tracks, in a reference for the geezers among us. Today, however, their uses are often more dubious: When they're not trying to cause a heart attack, they're used for spying or shocking and everything evil in between.

So we were relieved to find that there's at least one RC car with a purpose that's actually useful without being nefarious. The "Metal-Detect -Car" is true to its name, with built-in technology that can identify lost or hidden metallic objects while traversing &… Read more

Metal Storm reaches Navy test range

After years of development, a new class of weapon that uses computer-controlled electronic ignition instead of primers to fire projectiles may be finally taking its much coveted place in the U.S. military inventory.

Brisbane, Australia-based Metal Storm has delivered a four-barrel weapon to the Naval Surface Warfare Center for testing that uses a small electrical current instead a conventional firing pin to deliver stacked rounds at an astounding rate.

How astounding? Try 1 million rounds per minute. That's the rate, by the way, not the volume; still, there's no way you want to be anywhere near the … Read more

Why Novell is like Napster-era Metallica

Remember back when Metallica isolated the majority of their fan base with their over-the-top stance against Napster (for the moment let's leave the stupidity of the music business and the fact that it only has itself to blame for people pirating songs out of this) and what it did to the band and the fans that supported them for all those years? That's how I am starting to think of Novell.

Metallica went from being loved by millions to being whiny about Napster, taking the focus of the band off the music and onto the ugly business of … Read more

Understanding branding and viral marketing with A Bathing Ape

The best examples of corporate and product branding are usually found in consumer goods--companies like Apple, Coke, Nike etc. provide the rest of us with models to follow and relate to software. A great example in the fashion world is A Bathing Ape, a brand obsessively built and managed by Nigo and profiled on Portfolio.com. Back in 2001 I went to Japan and become semi-obsessed with the A Bathing Ape (BAPE) brand. Every hipster kid had a cool BAPE t-shirt or hat and I just had to have one. We finally found the store in Harajuku where the line … Read more

A ballpoint pen from the future

OK, so it's just a pen. And not even a high-tech writing instrument, but a ballpoint one at that. Still, this one's weird enough that we think it qualifies as a gadget just based on its looks alone.

The "Free Ride Pen" by designer Jean Pierre Lepine may look like something that melted in a factory fire, but there's actually a method to the apparent madness of its form. Not only is it ergonomic, Luxist says, but its rubber pads are strategically placed "to cushion the areas where finger meets pen."

Something of … Read more

Actual gameplay footage of 'Metal Gear Solid 4' surfaces

You can stop rubbing your eyes--this is the first actual gameplay footage of Solid Snake's final adventure. This 15-minute demo shows off some of the new features of the game in addition to the impressive graphics and presentation. If you have trouble reading the subtitles, try viewing the video in full-screen mode by clicking the arrow in the bottom-right hand corner of the player.

Metal Gear Solid 4 was a game that everyone was expecting to see in action at this year's E3 2007. Unfortunately, all we got was a new, yet undeniably breathtaking, trailer.

E3: 'Metal Gear Solid 4' trailer

UPDATE: If you're having difficulty playing the embedded video above, try here instead.

Solid Snake returns for his last mission in Metal Gear Solid 4. This PlayStation 3 exclusive features all the stealth-based action, giant robots, and confusing plot twists you've come to expect from Konami and Hideo Kojima's epic series. MGS4 hits the PS3 in early 2008.

Robots make you rich

We've seen the robots that mow your lawn, save your life, hit on your girlfriend, make you an omelet, dispense Kleenex, even make abstract artwork--but where are the robots that help make you filthy rich? We found two robot contenders today that should at least pay for themselves over time.

First off, John Corney from Wiltshire, UK, has spent the past seven years perfecting a remote controlled metal detector. Inspired by robotic land-mine sweepers, John adapted a wonderfully selfless and humanitarian idea into something far more personally rewarding. Although he spent approximately $3,800 to develop and build … Read more

'Roboglove' may help finger crooks

If we didn't know better (and we don't), we might think this was based on an old Monty Python skit.

U.K. newspapers are reporting the development of the "Roboglove," a wearable device that can supposedly detect weapons hidden on subjects while they're being searched. If the glove touches a concealed firearm, knife or other metal object, Gearfuse says, it will vibrate and alert its wearer of the discovery.

British police have reportedly been testing the device, which is said to be far more sensitive than standard metal detectors. And the glove is made of … Read more

Full metal keyboard, part deux

It's Valentine's Day, so we'll take this opportunity to declare our affection for all things metal and shiny (on the desktop, anyway). Just as we pined away for the aluminum Onkyo hardware barely a week ago, we are similarly taken with this Speed Link keyboard made of the same material.

Gizmodo rightly questions the practicality of this item, especially calling out its "compact" key arrangement. But we're a superficial lot here at Crave, and our heads are easily turned by a pretty peripheral--especially one that's ultra-thin with a jet-black metal finish and backlit … Read more