Geek In Me

by Cory Bohon via tuaw.com

TechCrunch is reporting that Foxconn (the Taiwanese Apple manufacturing plant) is building over 800,000 iPhones per week in order to meet demand. They are also reporting that this means the plant is working “above current full capacity” and notes that the quality control might not be the best at this time.

Apple has moved more than 6 million iPhone units in just the first year. According to TechCrunch, Apple’s run rate for the iPhone 3G is over 40 million units per year.

by Donald Melanson via engadget.com

We already knew that Id Software co-founder John Carmack was on board with the iPhone to some extent, but at the now-happening QuakeCon 2008 in Dallas he’s revealed just how impressed with the device he really is. According to Apple Insider, while Carmack admits that graphics memory could be a limiting factor, he describes the phone’s hardware as equivalent to a Dreamcast and almost on par with a PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox. He also sees it as far superior, at least in terms of raw specs, than the two big dedicated handheld consoles out there, saying that is “more powerful than a Nintendo DS and PSP combined.” Unfortunately, he didn’t have any actual games to show off, but he did at least confirm that Id has two “tentative titles” in the works, including a “conventional mobile game,” and one that pushes the iPhone’s graphics capabilities.

via ubergizmo.com

I guess it was a matter of time before the brilliant minds behind the NES emulator for the iPhone/iPod touch managed to include an accelerometer control, letting you play Mario in a totally new way. Of course, platform gaming requires precise controls and accelerometers aren’t the best way to help Mario rescue Princess Peach from Bowser’s fiery castles. Still, this is a pretty interesting improvement to the emulator, and it will definitely introduce more wacky ways to relive old (illegal) classics on your device. I wonder what Nintendo’s lawyers have to say about this….desecration.

by Terrence O’Brien via switched.com

Those unlocked 1st gen iPhones are going for a surprisingly high chunk of change on eBay, but that’s nothing compared to the prices people are willing to pay for the new iPhone 3G. Unboxed and supposedly unlocked varieties (though we haven’t heard of any functioning unlocking tools) are fetching prices well in excess of $1,000 for the 16 GB variety. Even the 8 GB iPhone is going for $800-$900.

Prices are being driven to astronomic levels by high demand fueled by insatiable gadget lust and limited supplies produced by Apple. Some of that demand is even coming from overseas in countries that simply can’t wait for the new gadget du jour to start shipping to them later this year.

via ubergizmo.com

They say water and electronics don’t mix, but certainly the iBeer and the iPhone go down well along with one another. This iPhone application is available for purchase at $2.99 at the iTunes store, and it simulates a mug of beer right inside your iPhone itself. Each movement of your handset will result in a corresponding beer swishing, and this will be accompanied by relevant sounds to make the experience all the more authentic. Despite being wildly popular (it is the sixth top seller in the iTunes App Store), reviews have been less than glowing, including angry comments such as “don’t waste your beer money” and “runs slow not very realistic”. Perhaps they’d be kinder with words after having a few swigs of the real stuff.

by Donald Melanson via switched.com

Want to attract attention (and the police) every time you answer your cellphone in public? Then perhaps this build-at-your-own-risk Bluetooth handgun handset project is for you. As far as DIY mods go, this one looks to be simple enough (if somewhat time-consuming), with it involving nothing more than stuffing a disassembled Jabra Bluetooth headset into a suitably realistic-looking airsoft gun, which apparently fits just right so that the trigger operates the call start/end button. If you’re still on board, you can find all the necessary details by hitting up the link below. [Source: Instructables]