Knowing that it is very hard that Apple would ever release an iPhone Pro with physical keyboard , Mat Brady from planetmat has sent me another image of a potential accessory. It looks great. Mat says that he created the accessory answering readers’ feedback on sliding keyboards. The slide-out keyboard has generated the most response from any of my suggested features. The general consensus stands firm on two opposing viewpoints: 1.

Excerpt from: 
The Alternative to the iPhone Pro [Apple]

Today’s featured Elevator Pitch comes from Toksta, a browser-based instant message/chat client that can be integrated into most websites with only a few snippets of code. The service supports text, voice, and video (Flash is required for the latter two), and is free. The site generates revenue by placing ads in the browser-based chat windows, and allows site owners to participate in a revenue sharing agreement (you can also pay for a premium, ad-free whitelabel version).

The site is up against a few other services (like meebo’s recently launched Community IM), but its voice and video offerings may help set it apart. You can try the chat out for yourself on MyHappyPlanet, where you’ll need to register an account first. In practice it seems to work pretty well, though the ads (which can include audio) can be a bit jarring.

Oh yeah, according to the pitch the first 10 people to sign up will apparently get a free puppy, sent “via mail” (I sincerely hope that he is joking). If you’d like a puppy though, you can get one for free here (you won’t regret it).

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Elevator Pitch Friday: Toksta’s Browser-Based IM (With Free Puppies)

Lego Middle Earth brewery? Check. Lego beer, check

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Lego Pole Dancer Actually Dances, Turns On Ogres Like Me [Lego]

Ooooooooh, black curtains! Apple says they won’t have “revolutionary” products for Macworld 2009, but maybe this means that their new products are worth the secrecy. Or maybe it is just that Apple doesn’t give a damn about Macworld anymore and this is why these guys were able to sneak in. Whatever it is, we will have to wait and see. Head to The Apple Lounge for a lot more images. [ The Apple Lounge via SetteB.it —Thanks Fabio]

Excerpt from: 
Spy Photos of Apple’s Macworld 2009 Booth [Macworld 2009]

Anythingbutipod and Ihaveazune have done some research and have discovered that the 30GB Zune failing bug also affects its twin brother, the Toshiba Gigabeat S. According to them, the culprit is the power management circuit.

Original post: 
The Culprit of the Zune Massacre [Zune]

Of all Apple fan tributes, this may be the least Apple-spirited. I can imagine Jon Ive throwing up after seeing the image, which lacks the very simplicity and smoothness that makes fanboys all woozy.

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Exploded iPhone Shirt: Most Heinous Way to Say "I <3 Apple" [Bad Ideas]

CatholicGoogle, a new site based on Google’s custom search, is “striving to provide an easy to use resource to anyone wanting to learn more about Catholicism and provide a safer way for good Catholics to surf the web.” The site uses a permanently-on Google SafeSearch to filter out profanity and pornography, along with a filter for specific topics that floats Catholic-related sites to the top. For example, a search for “birth control” serves up pages on why birth control is viewed as a sin in the Catholic Church as its first results.

The search engine might appeal to some devout Catholics if it actually worked. However, it seems that when it comes to filtering topics beyond the standard “offensive” categories (swear words and sex) , CatholicGoogle only serves to make queries potentially more offensive. A search for “drunk” yields a video of “Drunk Catholic Kids”. Perhaps even more bizarre: a search for “sex” offers an article bashing the Church’s stance on sexuality (they may have included this in the results for a balanced alternative perspective, but I doubt it). It’s as if the site just appends the word “Catholic” to whatever you’re searching for and crosses its fingers.

If this is your sort of thing, you might also be interested in GodTube, the YouTube for Christians or Gospelr (you guessed it – the Twitter for Christians).

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CatholicGoogle: Your Search Engine For All Things Catholic

Although it’s pretty certain that every major car manufacturer has “plans” to develop a solar-powered vehicle, Toyota appears to be actually putting out PR about it. According to the Nikkei, they’ve got plans for what is likely a Prius augmented by solar panels on it and elsewhere, and later for a solar-only vehicle as well.

Toyota could use a boost, as in the face of poor world market conditions they are doing as poorly as others, especially in the US. Solar power is hot here (and popular as well – wocka wocka), and a vehicle like what they describe would be almost certain to sell. I seriously doubt it’s anywhere near the production stage, but it doesn’t hurt to get the word out early.

As an aside, is anyone else as mesmerized by pictures of the sun as I am?

Original post:
Solar-powered Toyotas in the works

The Gadget: One of Garmin’s flagship Nuvis, the 880 responds to commands from your voice, triggered by a little remote control you attach to your steering wheel. The Price: Garmin says $800, but you can find it online for $690.

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Garmin Nuvi 880 Voice-Controlled GPS Lightning Review [Lightning Review]

Just 8 months after Virgin Atlantic flew a 747 from London to Amsterdam on coconut and babassu nut biofuel, Air New Zealand has done it also.

Air New Zealand, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Honeywell modified the engines on a 747-400 to run on half Jet A1 fuel and half jatropha oil. The jatropha plant is pretty remarkable. This common plant from India produces nuts that contain 30 to 40 percent oil that can be converted into biofuel. It has been used previously to power cars, but this is the first time it has been used for an airplane.

What would be more impressive though is an airplane powered by a real Mr. Fusion from Back to the Future. You’d just need to stop be a landfill to refuel.

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Another Biofuel Airplane