it’s probably saying something that my own turntables are in a tiny nook with barely enough room to actually use them, but this Ikea setup that’s perfect for a pair of turntables, a mixer, and a pair of CD decks with headphones looks really sharp to me.

Granted Erik, who submitted this setup to Ikea Hackers, notes that his turntables are upside down (he notes in the comments that he did this because they look better for the photo this way), but they’d work just fine in the right position – although he’d probably have to do something to corral those cables that’d be running from the back of all of his gear right to the mixer there.

Still, it’s a pretty awesome looking setup, and even if you’re not an at-home DJ, you can appreciate the look. Plenty more photos where this one came from at the link below.

[ Ikea Hackers :: Ikea Shoe Rack Transformed into DJ-Furniture ]

MattD, over at TechGrid, has had his home office shown on web sites far and wide. In fact, it’s likely you recognize the shot above, from the second iteration of his home office, the one that got so much publicity on the web when he unveiled it back in 2007. Back then, rumors flew about who the owner was and what he did for a living that he could afford so much high-end gear in a home office, and what he did for a living that necessitated it.

While we still don’t know much about Matt’s life beyond TechGrid, we do know that he hasn’t stopped working on his home office, and in the most recent iteration, he’s put in some new flooring and furniture and paid attention to a part of the room that means a lot to me: his DJ nook, complete with audio gear and turntables, and some really awesome posters on the wall (all three of which I would love to have in my home!)

Head on over to TechGrid to see the latest evolution of his home office, and then start planning how you’ll up the ante with your own home workspace, if you have one!

[ TechGrid :: Evolution of the Ultimate Home Office ]

This is probably the most hilarious thing I’ve seen in a very long time.

I mean, I think everyone understand how a bad case of swamp ass can be, but this is a whole different thing. Honestly though, the hair dryer trick is pretty interesting…

[ Nerd Machine :: Swamp Ass PSA starring Nathan Fillion ]

Regular old mousepads when you’re gaming are so passe: what you really need is a good, solid mousing surface that won’t make your desk all dusty, won’t clog your mouse’s sensor with dirt or grime, and won’t hinder you moving your mouse across its surface.

Sure, you could grab a roll of wax paper and make this mousepad, which is arguably one of the greatest, but if you’re willing to drop some cash, try this teflon and steel model from Rude Gameware. Called the Fierce Teflon and Steel Mouse Surface, it’s probably the closest thing you’ll get to a frictionless mousing surface this side of a physics problem with real-world constraints removed.

The only downside is that it’ll set you back $30 bucks plus shipping, but hey – if you spent an easy $60 on your mouse, it might be worth it for that competitive edge.

[ Rude Gameware :: Fierce Teflon and Steel Mouse Surface ]

I’m a big fan of Danny Choo and the way he’s managed to let nothing stop him from making his passion his life and career, and one of the things he does regularly is work on a televison show called Culture Japan. On a recent episode, he went over to the development company called Kayac to meet with developer Makoto Hara, who said he’d always wanted to fly through cyberspace the way characters in the Ghost in the Shell universe do.

Well, with the help of the Microsoft Kinect, now they were able to! Using the motion sensitive controls of the Kinect and some programming knowhow, they managed to build a game that looks, behaves, and plays like it’s straight out of the Ghost in The Shell universe. Check out the video:

It’s really incredible, and something special to behold. I just wish I had something like this somewhere near me where I could try it and play with it. Danny has tons more photos available at his blog – check em out!

[ Danny Choo :: Ghost in the Shell Kinect ]

You know already I’m a huge fan of all things steampunk – well, maybe not all things: and the items on display at the Nemo’s Steampunk Art & Invention Gallery are no exception.

Well – some of them are exceptions. I wasn’t thrilled with all of them, but I do think that they’re all imaginative and interesting, even the cell phone that essentially used dried corn kernels for buttons on the front, and the cell phone that replaced the buttons with screws.

Still – the bathroom workstation (shown above) looks pretty neat, and I like the breathing apparatus that’s first in the gallery. Part of the deal is that the show is part of the Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Interactive Entertainment Experience, so all of the steampunk gadgets in the gallery pay homage to Jules Verne in some way, shape, or form.

Still – considering that a lot of people consider Verne’s perspective the origins of steampunk, it’s not surprising. Still, I’ve seen some really cool items and while not everything in this gallery blew my mind, it was all definitely fun to look at.

[ CNet :: Steampunk show imagines Jules Verne gadgets ]

Tiny Wings is probably the most adorable mobile game that I’ve ever seen in my life. Seriously, Angry Birds is cute, but Tiny Wings walks the line between emotional and adorable in a way that few games manage to do successfully, and errs on the side of hopeful and happy instead of heart-string-tugging.

In the game, you play an cute, hopeful bird who’s always dreamt of flying. When the sun comes up, you wake up, jump out of your nest, and slide down the nearest hill, because today’s the day you’re going to be airborne! You have tiny little stubbly wings though, so you need the momentum you get from sliding down the hill to stay in the air as long as possible.

The only control you get is over when to tuck in your bird’s wings – that streamlines you and should be used to get a little downward speed when you’re headed down a slope. Let go at the bottom to soar into the air and flap to your heart’s content.

All along the way you can collect items and bonuses on the ground as you slide between hills, and get score multipliers by touching the clouds. You have to fly fast and far though, night is coming, and as soon as the sun sets, your bird will go back to sleep and the game will be over. As your score multiplies, you can get upgrades for your nest, which will in turn help boost your score. See how this plays out?

Anyway, the game trailer is below: it looks like a world of fun, but it’s iOS only, so if you don’t have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, you might want to get one. Check out the trailer, then go grab the game.

[ iTunes :: Tiny Wings ]

(this brand new image for Spinning Gears columns is courtesy of Narilka, who graciously gave permission to use it!)

So the blogs have been buzzing recently thanks to a report that for SpaceTime Studios, the developers of the popular mobile MMO Pocket Legends, has found that its Android version is simply more profitable than the iOS version of the same game.

SpaceTime runs Pocket Legends for both platforms, and since the game is an MMO, anyone on any platform can play with each other. But SpaceTime noted that they’re seeing more sales from its Android customers than from its iOS customers. Does this mean – as many tech news sites have jumped to the conclusion – that Android owners are somehow more willing to shell out for apps than iOS users? Does it mean that developers should all switch to building games for Android now?

Well, what exactly does it mean? I know – partially because unlike a number of people who have covered the story in a couple of places, I’ve actually played Pocket Legends (on my Android phone, no less,) understand SpaceTime’s business model, and get what they’re really trying to say here. Let’s dive in after the jump.

Continue reading Spinning Gears :: Is Android More Profitable than iOS for Developers?…

It was an unexpected announcement last week, but if you have an AppleTV – one of the most recent models – and you jailbreak it, you can now install XBMC, or XBox Media Center, on your device and turn it into a $99 streaming media powerhouse.

XBMC is incredibly popular these days, and for good reason. All of the sites going out of their way to block services like Boxee and Google TV don’t pay attention to XBMC since it looks like any other browser in most cases. It runs on just about anything, streams from any open file share on your home network, outputs in 1080p (which Apple’s own default AppleTV software won’t do,) and more.

Seriously, even if you’re not an Apple fan or have been thinking about buying a cheaper streaming media center for your home theater or building one yourself, the combination of XBMC and the Apple TV may be more attractive now than ever.

Lifehacker has a tutorial (literally it’s three steps) on how to get the job done with as little fuss and muss as possible. I know a number of people who have actually pondered buying an Apple TV now that this is available, and I doubt they’ll regret the purchase.

[ Lifehacker :: How to Install XBMC on Your Apple TV 2 ]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, everyone – where we’re all feverishly looking for the perfect gifts for the people in our lives. If you haven’t started your holiday shopping (like me, sad to admit) it’s about time! Oh, but what do you get for the geek in your life that’s looking for a techy present under the tree or in their stockinig this holiday season? Well, I have a few suggestions.

Granted, just like every year, everyone is doing holiday gift guides, but this one is a little different, and a little more fun. Ready? Head behind the jump to see five gift ideas that’ll make any technophile happy this holiday season!

Continue reading Gears and Widgets 2010 Holiday Gift Guide!…