I found out this evening that Google Earth has a data update that covers many cities in the UK. Well, that was my evening wasted. You can now see the whole area where I grew up in detail, right down to the car in my Mum's driveway (of a couple of years ago). Very addictive.
The number amd variety of things you can plug into the USB port on a computer is getting ridiculous. A search for "USB Power" on the wonderful Engadget gives a stupendous list of improbable items, including:
1. USB powered gloves
Posted by Thomas Ricker on 10/31/2005
Anything,
and we mean anything that can be made... can be made better with a
little USB power. Add a bit of camouflage and you'll understand why
we're lovin' on these new craptastic USB heated gloves
2. USB-powered Verilux Natural Spectrum Book and Travel Light
Posted by Evan Blass on 10/17/2005
Oftentimes
when we are in and around our local library sucking down free WiFi, we
notice several people (not the ones sleeping in the over-stuffed
chairs, mind you) peering into strange stacks of
3. USB-powered Deco Lights
Posted by Ryan Block on 9/24/2005
When
Alek's online Christmas decorations control system turned out to be a
hoax, a light must've gone off in someone's head. Yup, you guessed what
comes next in the long line of illustrious
4. Logitech intros V20 USB-powered laptop speakers
Posted by Donald Melanson on 8/29/2005
Logitech
just introduced a new pair of speakers designed for use with laptops.
We can't tell you anything about the most important part -- how they
sound -- but we do know that the V20s will set you
5. Thanko’s USB-powered iShaver
Posted by Ryan Block on 8/11/2005
Is
it powered by electricity? Because if it is, we want to see it powered
by USB. And if it isn't... we want to see it powered by USB. So thanks,
Thanko, for your latest, the iShaver. Probably works
6. Boynq USB-powered light
Posted by Thomas Ricker on 6/4/2005
Doubtful
anyone who needs (or more importantly, is willing to use) the Boynq
D-Light USB-powered Lamp is going to look good embalmed in a pasty
orange glow. But here you have it, another whacky
7. USB-powered lava lamp
Posted by Peter Rojas on 5/24/2005
We're
pretty sure that the sheer geekiness of plugging this into a USB port
kills whatever swinging bachelor pad/hippie love nest vibe you might be
trying to create, but Lava World International is
8. eMagin USB powered OLED 3D visor
Posted by Barb Dybwad on 3/16/2005
The
promise of the near view display is there, though prior implementations
have been poor. A head-mounted screen should theoretically provide the
equivalent to a very large disply viewed from a few
9. The USB-powered thermal wrist protector
Posted by Ryan Block on 2/22/2005
A
USB-powered thermal wrist protector/strap on Engadget that facilitates
one's ceaceless habit of sitting in front of the computer, researching,
purchasing, and using USB-powered gadgets via
10. The USB-powered blue-glo Mac mini Skirt
Posted by Peter Rojas on 2/16/2005
Ok,
so at the end of the day it's still just an acrylic pedestal for the
Mac mini, but Plasticsmith must know how to get on our good side,
because now they've busted out a USB-powered version of
11. The USB-powered piezo negative ionizer
Posted by Ryan Block on 2/9/2005
They
call it aeroionotherapy--some believe in it, some don't--and it's
supposed to relieve you of restlessness, anxiousness, depression, and
high blood pressure if you charge the air in a room with
12. The USB-powered desktop fan/clock radio
Posted by Peter Rojas on 1/27/2005
By
this point it seems like pretty much everything that can be turned into
a USB-powered gadget has been (not to mention a few things that
probably should never have been led down that path), so
13. USB-powered fake flowerpot speaker
Posted by Peter Rojas on 11/29/2004
You
know, it's hard enough already trying to convince people who drop by
the house that we're not insane, so the last thing we're going to do is
completely confirm that by plugging this USB-powered
14. USB-powered air humdifier
Posted by Peter Rojas on 11/26/2004
You'd
probably want to keep lots of moisture away from your PC, so that you
won't, you know, destroy it, but if you can't quite resist, a shop in
Japan is selling a USB-powered air humidifier. Would
15. The USB-powered Santa
Posted by Peter Rojas on 11/17/2004
Be
honest, do you really need to put up any other Christmas decorations
besides this USB-powered, drum playin' Santa Claus which regales you
with Jingle Bells, Joy to the World, The First Noel, and
16. USB-powered Christmas Tree and snow man
Posted by Peter Rojas on 10/25/2004
It really wouldn't be an Engadget Christmas without this USB-powered snow man or Christmas Tree on your desk, would it?
17. The USB Power Pack
Posted by Peter Rojas on 9/30/2004
You
know us. We can't resist anything USB-powered. We're totally suckers
for it, which is why we we're giddy at the prospect of this portable
battery pack which we picked up at Compact-Impact that
18. Mini Power Minder, a new kind of USB power
Posted by Ryan Block on 9/15/2004
We
can't think of too many examples of times when we need to shut down a
bunch of stuff at the same time as our computers since most anything
connected to them needs recharging anyway (excepting
19. USB-powered gadgets!
Posted by Peter Rojas on 6/10/2004
The New York Times has just uncovered this crazy new trend: USB-powered gadgets! Anyone else heard of this before?
20. The Cleanlon USB-powered air purifier
Posted by Peter Rojas on 6/4/2004
Somehow
we missed this from the other day, but the New York Times actually
reviewed one of those USB-powered air purifiers. The only thing about
reviewing the Cleanlon is that they couldn't tell if
21. USB powered frangrance diffuser
Posted by Peter Rojas on 5/10/2004
What's
scary is that this isn't even the first one of these: it's a USB
powered fragrance-oil diffuser (basically a fancy Glade Plug-In) from
Osmooze called the USB P@d that actually let's you
22. USB-powered fragrance-oil burner
Posted by Peter Rojas on 3/6/2004
The
fact that it's sold out implies that somebody has been buying this, but
we've been scratching our heads at the prospect of Arvel's USB-powered
fragrance-oil burner, which is supposed to help make
23. Socket Mobile Power Pack
Posted by Dan Wu on 12/3/2004
Socket's
Mobile Power Pack has 7200mAh of juice in its battery, allowing you to
charge cellphones, Pocket PCs, Palm devices, Nintendo GBA/DS, and
digital cameras, but the best part is that it has a
24. The Buffalo BSKP-CU201/BK Skype conference phone
Posted by Thomas Ricker on 11/25/2005
Those
Skype handsets are coming fast and furious these days. Now Buffalo
brings us the ingeniously named BSKP-CU201/BK handsfree USB kit which
features an integrated speaker and omnidirectional mic
25. Azio Dual-Link Charger does USB, car lighter
Posted by Marc Perton on 10/11/2005
We've
seen a handful of hydra-headed chargers, which let you juice up your
cellphone via USB, car cigarette lighter or other power sources, and we
suspect that Azio's Dual-Link Charger isn't that
... and that's just the first 25 of the 156 in the list. A flashing pencil sharpener, an aquarium, a humidifer, a battery charger, noise-cancelling headphones. The world of gadgets is getting weirder and wonderfuller.
