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Posts Tagged ‘New Weapon’

BlackBerrys for coppers: UK law enforcement to smarten up in 2010

Police men and women of Blighty are about to step into the 21st century, albeit a decade late, with a new weapon in the fight against boredom on the beat. The BBC reports that smartphones will become standard issue throughout the Queen’s realm by March 2010, as a result of successful trials carried out in 30 constabularies through this year. Improved “operational efficiency” and reduced bureaucracy are argued as the key benefits, with a solid 30 minutes less time being spent in police stations each day. And we’re absolutely positive that extra half hour will go toward increased “visibility in the community” and not checking out friends’ Facebook status updates. No, really!

Read — BBC report
Read — Bedfordshire case study

Filed under: Cellphones

BlackBerrys for coppers: UK law enforcement to smarten up in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DoubleTwist Remakes Apple’s Classic 1984 Ad With A New Dictator: Steve Jobs

On January 22, 1984 during the third quarter of the SuperBowl, Apple broadcast one of the most famous television commercials of all time. Based on a dystopian future George Orwell described in his novel 1984, the ad features a procession of soulless drones trudging into a large room to listen to the unquestioned words of their dictator whose face is being projected on a large screen. Moments later, a beautiful woman bounds into the room, evading capture by armed guards by only a few meters, and hurls a large hammer into the screen that explodes in a dazzling display of light. And so we were introduced to the Macintosh, Apple’s new weapon to take on the monolithic IBM.

What a difference 25 years can make. Now Apple has grown from underdog to a tyrant in its own right, preventing other devices from tapping into its iTunes software and restricting what users can install on the iPhones that they’ve purchased. And doubleTwist, which makes software that lets you use iTunes seamlessly with other devices, is calling it out in spectacular fashion. They’ve just unveiled their new commercial (embedded below) that’s nearly a shot-for-shot remake, featuring an army of iPod-wearing clones sitting in silence as their master — sporting Steve Jobs’ familiar round glasses — commands that “no other choices shall detract from our glory”.

The ad closes with the statement that “on October 6th, doubleTwist brings you Choice”. The company says that a major new release will be coming out that day for Mac users (followed a week later for Windows), but said that the new feature they’re unveiling is a surprise. doubleTwist is also exploring showing the ad in movie theaters before previews begin.

This isn’t DoubleTwist’s first direct attack on Apple. In June, the company pulled an incredibly gutsy move and legally purchased ad space for one side of San Francisco’s flagship Apple Store that invited passersby to “try The Cure for iPhone Envy”, that could put your iTunes library on any device. Apple pulled strings and had the ad quickly taken down. Soon after doubleTwist managed to have it put up once again, only to have Apple pressure the advertising company to have it removed for a second time. Talk about Big Brother.

You can find the original Apple ad here

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

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Triple-shot TASER X3 imminent, deranged employees celebrate with mock executions

Sure, we love a good electric jolt to the face as much as the next guy, but perhaps the company is taking things a bit far with its new TASER X3 gun. The device has a multi-shot design that allows it to fire three probes in rapid succession, along with laser sights and other enhancements to do the deed with a modicum of accuracy and safety. The new weapon will be officially unveiled on July 27th, but in anticipation of that glorious day, TASER has kindly posted an employee demonstration video of shooting three entirely underpaid women in the back, to the applause of onlookers. Our word of advice? If somebody starts yelling “TASER TASER TASER,” you and your two girlfriends might wanna duck. Horrific footage is after the break.

[Via gizmag]

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Triple-shot TASER X3 imminent, deranged employees celebrate with mock executions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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