The latest sample from the extended surface digs to hit Phoenix's Easybake detected the presence of calcium carbonate—a mineral found in chalk and clay that tends to only exist in soil after interactions with liquid water. Phoenix has already tasted water ice from its landing point on the North Pole, but the carbonate is an important find for suggesting more watery interactions in the past.

The sun is slowly setting on Phoenix as winter sets in—its solar panels output less juice every day. But before going cold completely, the team hopes to fire up a microphone (the guy has everything) to take a listen for whatever might be out there. [NASA, Mars Phoenix Twitter, image, of course, simulated]

Above, you see two of McDonald's Finest. On the right is a Big Mac, freshly made in 2008. On the left, a rather more vintage specimen, embalmed at the factory with the usual edible preservatives to keep it juicy and tender right up until you gobble it down. But nobody ate it, and it still looks as fresh as it did the day it was made, twelve years ago.

In 1996, the iPod was but an itch in Steve Jobs' loin. When the first of the iconic white bricks rolled off the line, this burger was already five years old. If it was human, it would have started school already. At my current iPod burn rate of one every two years, this mummified pattie would outlast six of them, and it's still going strong.

The burger has been kept by nutrition teacher Karen Hanrahan in order to rather effectively demonstrate the perils of technology when brought to fast food (see, there is a gadget angle in this story):

People always ask me - what did you do to preserve it?

Nothing - it preserved itself.

Ladies, Gentleman, and children alike - this is a chemical food. There is absolutely no nutrition here.

This enterprising EOS 40D owner wants a DSLR that records video, too -- and he's taking action. This hack uses CHDK -- the free firmware enhancement for Canon PowerShot cameras -- and LiveView to capture video to the camera's CF Card. There are still a few issues: LiveView shuts down after a period of inactivity, video can't be transfered via USB, and unlike your $79 consumer grade camera, the EOS 40D won't record audio. But what's a little challenge in the face of a good camera mod? There's no word on file format, frame rate or resolution (though the camera's display weighs in at 320 x 240), but there are lots of other juicy details available once you hit the read link. And be sure to catch the video after the break.

Continue reading Canon EOS 40D owner hacks camera, records silent movie

This isn't much of a surprise. HTC's Touch series also eschews the standard, opting instead for an ExtUSB connector that ties microphone, power and headphones into one. You won't be totally out-in-the-cold: HTC will bundle the G1 with a built-in headset, probably of the usual crap bundled-in aural ergonomic design: a set to jaggedly tear at your penichrondiums and which must be thumb pressed down to the cochlea to prevent plopping out.

That's disappointing and a bit puzzling: the G1 is going head-to-head with the iPhone, so you'd think they'd have learned from the iPhone's mistake of a recessed 3.5mm jack. Instead, HTC's topped it, forcing most people who want to listen to music on their phone to waggle around a doofy dongle. That may seem like a small nitpick, but for people who want a phone that is as much a music player as anything else, another peripheral to lug around is a big tick in the "con" column.

Confirmed: T-Mobile G1 has no 3.5mm headphone jack [Engadget]

From the manufacture..
“… The InfraWave™ Speed Oven utilizes infrared light technology to cook the inside and outside of foods at the same time. The result is perfectly prepared food that is juicy and flavorful, as well as brown and crispy….”

Features

• Up to 50% faster than a conventional oven
• No preheating necessary
• No thawing of food required
• 52 pre-programmed cooking functions
• Freezer to fork in 20 minutes or less for most foods

Black & Decker Infrawave Oven

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