According to TechCrunch’s sources, Apple’s testing contactless payment-capable iPhones equipped with hardware from NXP Semiconductor, suggesting that such functionality is definitely something they’re working on for inclusion in the next iPhone.

In addition to contactless payment, which is kind of cool, TC points to patents that suggest Apple’s interests in using near field wireless for transferring files from device to device—say videos shot on an iPhone to a new AppleTV—which would be very cool.

In the hubbub following Mark Papermaster’s departure from Apple it came out that the iPhone 4 had likely entered prototype testing before he was even at the company, so if Apple is indeed planning on making the next iPhone near field capable, now’s the time they’d be testing them out.

I’m still not sure exactly what to make of the Libretto W100, Toshiba’s dual-screen Windows 7 tablet. But if you’re the curious type, you can buy one now for $1,100.

That price still seems a little steep, given the specs—-1.2 GHz Pentium U5400 processor, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 62GB SSD, a USB port and a microSD slot—and the unclear use cases. But there’s no questioning that it’s one unique little gadget.

The W100 is a limited release for now, and you’re looking at a two to three week wait from order to delivery. Plenty of time to figure out what you’re going to use it for.

Apparently, the Volare is the first hair dryer to use a ball bearing design, which is supposed to keep things running smooth. It’s extremely lightweight, comes in Ferrari red (natch) or black and has a turbo button to boost airspeed. Its Ferrari designed AC V12 Engine packs 2,200 watts of power, can reach airspeeds of 80mph and can last for up to 2,000 hours. I’m no hairdrying expert, but those are some big numbers (typical hairdryers last 500 hours).

It’s expensive, retailing at around $400, but it’s way more affordable than a Ferrari. And if I can get a Ferrari attached to my name for $400, I might have to buy one.

Sure, hubless bicycles aren’t exactly new, but it just trips me out seeing a guy riding his hubless bicycle around. It’s like watching something that’s not supposed to happen, happen.

This spokeless bike, called the Lunartic Cycle, has a toothed belt drive and a large back wheel for speed and stability and a smaller front wheel for better maneuverability. It was designed by Luke Douglas and is an entry for the James Dyson Awards.

A new capsule hotel called 9hrs has just opened in Tokyo to improve the conditions and experience traditionally provided by capsule hotel.

In the past capsule hotels have been thought of as ‘ grimy, and primarily intended as expedient sleeping solutions for drunk salarymen who have missed the last train home.’ Check out the video after the break.

The new hotel philosophy is simply 9hrs, hence the name. 1 hr for washing, 7 hrs sleep and 1hr rest. The new capsule hotel combines clean modern design and first class amenities with a very small footprint, and only charges $50 per night.

Via Treehugger

Motorola’s latest Android smartphone, the Motorola Droid 2 is now available. The Motorola Droid 2 is available on a two year contract with Verizon Wireless for $199.99, or if you want one year contract the Droid 2 will set you back $269.99, there is also a SIM free version available for $559.99.

The Motorola Droid 2 features 3.7 inch display, a slide out QWERTY keyboard, and it comes with the latest version of Google Android, Android 2.2 (Froyo),and support for Adobe’s Flash 10.1.

The Droid 2 features 8GB of built in storage, plus a MicroSD card slot that can take up to 32GB microSD cards and it also feature Swype.

The Motorola Droid 2 is available from today from Verizon, there will also be a special edition R2-D2 Droid 2 available for all the Star Wars fans.

via Crunch Gear

Twelve years ago, Professor Kevin Warwick became the world’s first cyborg. Today, at Motherboard he’s holding court on cybernetics, and how if we don’t embrace our cyber upgrade potential, the robots will someday win.

Warwick knows what he’s talking about, not just as the first man to have an RFID implant—letting him turn on lights by snapping his fingers, among other things—but as a Professor of Cybernetics at Reading University. His vision of the future is more of a warning, really; that “someday we’ll switch on that machine, and we won’t be able to switch it off.” We’re in an arms race with machines, so why not upgrade where we can?

It’s fascinating stuff, if a little alarmist. But please don’t tell Dr. Warwick I said that, lest he blast me with the optical laser guns I’m sure he’s equipped himself with.

Source: CraziestGadgets

Chatimals

Want them to speak up? Just give their tiny paws a gentle squeeze and you’re good to go, where anything they hear will be spoken back to you. Of course, it might just keep your toddler who is now learning to speak quiet, but that remains to be seen as he/she might just get frustrated at the Chatimal in question, ripping out an arm or a leg in desperation to be the resident top dog where the chatterbox category is concerned. You can choose from either grey, beige or ginger shades for the hamster, while the meerkat has only one color – brown. At £19.99 each, they’re certainly worth checking out if you want to purchase a toy for your little one.