Don't you hate it when your perfect heist is foiled by some hidden camera that serves your head to the police on a platter? Well some deviant genius posted a video on Metacafe showing you how to create a pair of LED shades that hides your face on CCTV. All you need are a couple of LEDs, some wire, tiny batteries and a bit of skill. But if committing felonies aren't quite your thing, maybe you'll appreciate the fact these also make you look like some possessed spawn of Satan on camera. [Metacafe via Red Ferret]

ICANN has just made a decision that goes beyond allowing .xxx to be a top level domain; they're allowing all words to be top level domains. That means you're going to see domains like fuck.shit, shit.shit, shit.fuck, whatisthisshit.fuck, and so forth. What's not allowed is domains that conflict with trademarks (.pepsi was the example), too similar to current top level domains, or names associated with countries or governments (juicy.turkey). Companies will also register their products and services, leading to really annoying domains like pleaseplayyour.ps3pleaseplease, or dontyouwantanother.ipod. Nice one, ICANN. Nice one. [USA Today]

The main problem with being tech savvy is that everyone looks to you to solve their gadget-related issues. I mean, I'm happy to help but sometimes I just want to say "go and Google it dammit!" This is especially true with anything computer related. You know what I'm talking about—that frantic call from a friend who says their computer isn't working, so you go over there and find it unplugged. Seriously, I don't know how IT people can stand it. So, my question is: are you one of those people that gets stuck fixing everyone's gadget problems?

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Microsoft gets more crap than any other company in tech. That's partly because it's given us garbage like Clippy, Microsoft BOB and Windows Vista. And it's partly because it's arguably the most important company in personal computing. Sure, Apple gets all the fawning press for designing pretty, easy-to-use gadgets. But Microsoft is rarely credited for being why mainstream tech has come this far—a computer on every desk, the explosion of the internet, even the idea of a common UI across applications. Even smarmy Mac and Linux snobs have a lot to thank Microsoft for, even if they don't want to.

1. Windows is on the vast majority of the world's computers, creating a virtually ubiquitous platform that anyone can develop for. That actually breeds innovation and development. Yes, Microsoft fosters innovation. While it's much easier for griefers to be mean if everyone's on the same platform, that ubiquity gives us a common ground to drive forward on.

Stan Seiler, senior docent at the Computer History Museum, credits Microsoft for creating the common UI concept—"a common look and feel across multiple applications,” something that "couldn’t be pioneered until somebody had a whole suite of applications,” which Microsoft was among the first to do. They dragged third-party developers into following it as well, and voila, now most stuff works and looks the same across an OS.

2. Microsoft is basically responsible for the two-button mouse. Will Smith from Maximum PC (but not quite Hancock) gives the Gates machine props for really bringing the mouse to business computing with "the one-two punch of Windows 3.0 and Office." More than that, it created a simple standard for two-button mousing: left-click equals action, right-click equals choices. Love your scroll wheel? (I do.) Microsoft, baby. Apple's mouse philosophy is just silly.

3. Microsoft popularized the concept that software has value and is worth paying for it. Seiler says "it might sound obvious... but it was an important change in the mindset of people.” No one had done it on the scale Microsoft did. Today this leads to some weirdness: There's a different price for each version of Windows. But this theoretically based on how much value Microsoft think is packed into each version of Windows (you can debate this, of course). But unless you're a freetard, you probably don't think the idea itself of paying for software is insane.

4. Microsoft's intimidation leads to innovation. The flipside of Microsoft's scale and success is that everyone hates them. (Duh.) While this sometimes results in unproductive pissing and moaning, it often drives companies to try to outdo the behemoth, after which Microsoft strives to catch up before getting leapfrogged again. This process benefits everyone.

The most famous example is the Browser Wars. Netscape Navigator pushed Internet Exploder forward (not only feature-wise, but leading Microsoft to bundle it with the OS, a big step in and of itself) before IE killed it and achieved a virtual browser monopoly. Years later, Firefox rose from Navigator's ashes to strike back at IE, which resulted in Browser War II and drove us to the point of internet awesomeness (and Web standardization) we're at today. (Not to mention, as Smith points out, mainstreaming TCP/IP in Windows 95 made it much easer and cheaper to get on the internet in the first place.)

So, while Microsoft is now a super-bureaucratic organization that may well be in need of soul, innovation and originality, the truth is, its very unsexiness is why tech and computing are as exciting as they are today. Microsoft's early years provided the foundation and tools, and today it provides technology's version of The Man to outsmart and outdo, which will make tomorrow as good as it's gonna be.

What else should we give credit to Msft under Bill's watch?

The 8 Lane Scalextric track from the Events House is being touted as one of the best on the planet—and I don't doubt it. The track is computer controlled and it will keep records of lap times, race winners and championship points. Unfortunately, it is only available to rent for events like team building, promotions, and parties (you couldn't afford it anyway), and you need to live in the UK (wah-wah-waaaaah).

On the plus side, if you did have access to it, you could upgrade to the Championship package and get the added benefit of 2 race marshals to keep your car on the track, race themed music on the PA system and a podium with a trophy and champagne at the finish line. [Events House via Born Rich via Tech Digest]

There are few things in this world that are more infuriating than getting into a car accident—but one of those things would definitely be getting into an accident where the blame is being disputed. For the innocent party, a Roadscan Drive Recorder could be indispensable. The device mounts easily on your windshield or rearview mirror, and will continuously record graphical 3D-G accelerations data. If you happen to get into an accident, it will save the digital video starting 14 seconds before the incident and 6 seconds after—so you would be armed with all of the data you need to dispute a ticket. Or totally incriminate yourself.

On the other hand, owning a Roadscan could easily backfire if you are the one to blame—so if you are an accident prone driver it is probably best to steer clear of a device like this. Roadscan is currently available for $299, which is a reasonable price to pay for something that could potentially save you thousands in an accident. [Autocamcorder]

Juan Gonz

Juan Gonz

What would you wear every day if you could wear anything? We're talking no limits, not from bank accounts or corporate wardrobe requirements, not those snarky writers from US Weekly or the sexy lady judging the size of your 401k by the validity of your Rolex.

One man in particular has had that choice over the years. He's Bill Gates.

In the past several decades, Bill Gates has been seen in jeans, ties and suits, but at the end of the day, there's been one look he's come home to. It's the sweater. With a buttoned shirt under it. For over 20 years, this has been the signature calling card of one of world's most powerful men. (That, and those $7 haircuts.)

And you know what's crazy? Men's Vogue tells us that it's fashionable.

Ned Martel is a Deputy Editor over at Men's Vogue and he was kind enough to stare at many pictures of Bill Gates that I sent him. When I got him on the phone, we discussed the matter, starting with some shots from a 1985 Microsoft publicity shoot.

"Sweaters..." I hear Martel think out loud. "The thing that strikes me is that...you didn’t need to dress in the '80s like you were well funded to get funding…it was the opposite—if you presented yourself as pinstriped, you might not be seen as the upstart worth getting behind."

And such may be true even today. When is the last time you saw Kevin Rose sporting a triangle hankerchief that matched his tie? But where Martel described the look as "I'm too busy to think about wearing a suit," it's probably been generalized in modern terms to "I'm too cool to wear a suit."

We flip to a newer shot, this time taken just last year. (It's our lead photo of the piece, minus that Voguesque spoof cover art.) Sweater. Collar. Same thing, right?

"This is more expensive," Martel points out immediately. "I think it’s like a purple cashmere v-neck. That’s probably a bit of a luxury he would not have even sported in his youth...Like he got married and got a life. It's more dad-like."

But something else changed, too.

"His glasses are more grown up," Martel says. "The change that you see in his face because of that. It is a reflection that he’s thought about."

The word "fatherly" comes to mind again.

"It’s a different way of announcing your place in the establishment of American billionaires. I think you see that subtly in the way he dresses because it began as a little bit rebellious and it’s matured into a way that’s said it had a payoff."

So the wardrobe payoff after several billion dollars is wire-frames and cashmere. But is that fashionable? What is a sweater and collar, after all? It's certainly is not a cutting edge trend, nor is it quite a timeless classic.

"Any guy with confidence and a sense of how he wants to present himself is a fashionable guy," Martel explains. Finally, a justification for that plaid shirt my wife hates.

But before I let Martel off the line, there was one last point to be settled. Gates vs. Jobs. No OSs. No fancy keynotes. Just. Wardrobe vs. wardrobe.

(Ed note: Of course, this photo is, like, the one time Gates isn't wearing that damn sweater.)

"Comparing their clothes is like comparing their accomplishments—they both helped together to define an era," Martel explains. "And the fact that we even have an indelible sense of how they've looked of the years means it worked." [Men's Vogue]































Cover art by Richard Blakeley.

The hacking and account stealing has gotten so bad on World of Warcraft that Blizzard has decided to release a hardware authenticator to make sure when you log in, you're actually not some dude in China who looks like me. (Unless you are.) The authenticator costs $6.50, and will spit out a six-digit code—much like the Paypal security key—that you enter into your account when you log in. You can use that one authenticator to any number of accounts, so if your whole family plays, you'll only have to pay once. [Blizzard via Wow Insider - Photo of Consumerist's Popken]