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We look back at a year's worth of gear, gadgets, and gizmos.
The year's best home entertainment hardware, gamine accessories, and more!
The best apps from our This Week In Apps series.
Four peculiar accessories you never knew you wanted.

In the Spotlight

Green Gaming »

Power Consumption

Consoles burn 16 billion kilowatts annually.

Toilet Tech »

Intelligence Toilet II

The next generation of pointlessly intelligent toilets.

Military »

Next Generation Warships

Britain's largest aircraft carrier ever.

iPhone »

Now Offering iPhone

Mega-retailer picks up the wildly popular smartphone.

Articles

Gaming's Environmental Impact

December 31, 2008 - With the Environmental Protection Agency in the process of establishing its Energy Star standards for game consoles, energy efficiency has become a hot topic in the hardware realm. Many environmental groups are turning their gaze toward gaming to see how the industry can green up their act. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently published a study on American energy usage with specific regard to game consoles. More »

iPhone Oddities

December 30, 2008 - Way before the iPhone hit retail shelves, industry experts and consumers alike knew that Apple's newest life destroying gadget was going to launch an accessory war unlike anything western civilization had ever seen. While many of these add-ons, such as protective cases and portable speakers came as no surprise, there have been more than a few oddball accessories that have snuck their way onto the marketplace that demand a closer look. Thus, we dispatched the IGN Gear Goon Squad (Geek Squad is already copyrighted unfortunately) to learn the truth and purpose behind some of the most unusual iPhone accessories More »

Intelligence Toilet II Announced

December 29, 2008 - We're not sure what it is, but Japanese manufacturer Toto really loves pairing toilets with computer technology. Perhaps its for the purpose of further understanding and refining the art of bowel evacuation, or perhaps the company is plotting for global fecal domination, there is no way to be sure. More »

The UK's Next Generation Warships

December 29, 2008 - Apparently the British are tired of relying on James Bond to keep their name mentioned among the superpowered nations of the world. In light of accelerated naval construction taking place in numerous countries around the world, the Royal Navy has announced their plans to commission the building of two new warships, each of which will be bigger than any the British have built before. More »

This Year In Apps

December 29, 2008 - With 2008 coming to an end this week, there is no better time to look back and reflect on the year's experiences. We've shared many laughs, many tears, many triumphs, and many failures—such is the poetry of life (and Hallmark greeting cards). But there are plenty of things to ponder beyond the usual sentimental dribble of year-end introspection! Take, for instance, the year's best and brightest iPhone and iPod touch apps. More »

Wal-Mart Now Offering iPhone

December 29, 2008 - Conveniently just after the largest shopping weeks of the year, Wal-Mart has begun carrying the iPhone at retail locations nationwide. Although robbed of premium holiday revenues, the mega-retailer did begin offering the iPhone over Boxing Day weekend. To sweeten the deal and to live up to their price-slashing reputation, Wal-Mart is offering both the 8GB and 16GB models for a reduced price. More »

Burger King Releases Meaty Body Spray

December 20, 2008 - Is your girlfriend sick of your Axe spray making you smell like the perfume section of a department store? Does she love to indulge in a tasty flame-broiled Whopper from time to time? Then brother do we have the new fragrance for you. Having conquered the world of fast food, Burger King is now looking to master the art of body odor masking with their latest invention, Flame. More »

IGN Snacker Battle

December 20, 2008 - Two men, five KFC Snackers each. Who will out-nom the other for eternal glory? Find out within! More »

PSP vs. iPhone Grudge Match

December 20, 2008 - So, you want a pocket-sized entertainment device that can play movies, music, and games? Right now, the two top options for you are the iPhone and the PlayStation Portable -- and each device is hungrily eyeing the other's territory. While the iPhone has been out since 2007, only last summer, with the launch of the 3G iPhone and the App Store, did the device gain the ability to download applications and play dedicated games. The PSP was released in late 2004 in Japan and 2005 around the rest of the world. More »

Virtual Reality Sunglasses

December 19, 2008 - Vuzix, makers of personal video viewing devices, has released a sneak peak of their new video eyewear game-changer, one that they say will revolutionize the on-face virtual reality experience. Named "The Wrap 920AV", the headgear represents the first of its kind that can function as either sunglasses or portable video eyewear. The unit will include virtual reality capabilities along with augmented reality features, and can be connected to almost any type of media player. More »

RIAA Ceases Lawsuits

December 19, 2008 - Online music pirates can collectively breath a sigh of relief, at least for the moment, as the music recording industry is preparing to drop the vast majority of its lawsuits against rascals that have been using illegal methods to get their hands on some free tunes. Since 2003, around 35,000 people have entered into legal proceedings with the music industry in form or another over piracy, with music exes hoping that the threat and follow-through of prosecution would help discourage illegal downloads. Well, apparently the music stealing community could not care less, as in the face of huge fines and even jail time, pirated music has marched on as popular as ever. More »

Cheap Last Minute Gift Ideas

December 19, 2008 - "There is no minute like the last minute," that's our policy! And if you live by these words as well, you are probably scrambling for last minute gift ideas. You've probably already got your friends, family, and other assorted loved ones sorted out gift-wise, we can call these people your "A-list" and "B-list" recipients, but what about the "C-list?" You know, those loose friendships or acquaintances that you probably should buy gifts for, but you'd really rather not. Or, even worse, those people who you didn't plan on buying gifts for, but tell you last minute that they got something for you. Moments like these are what make you really loathe and despise the whole holiday gift giving process, but for the sake of etiquette you are forced to comply. More »

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