You probably know what micro-blogging site Twitter is by now, but how would people around you take it if you actually say your 'Tweets' out loud? Dan from comedy website CollegeHumor took to the streets of New York City to see what would happen. Hilarious stuff..


So we guess we all have to agree on this: Tweets are really not meant to be said out loud.

Article: Gizmodo
Original Video: CollegeHumor

You probably know by now that mobile phones, keyboards and digital cameras all harbor colonies of viruses more than that of public toilets, but what's worse is that since they're electronic, they're really hard to clean with water. You won't need to worry anymore once you have Cyber Clean, the high-tech cleaning compound that instantly cleans your gadgets and peripherals in seconds.


This putty-like substance works just like you think it would - simply press it onto your dirty gadget and peel it off to capture the dirt and grime. It can even remove dirt from the tiny, little cracks of your keyboard too.


What's great about about Cyber Clean is that its unique formula is scientifically proven to kill germs and by being bio-degradable, is eco-friendly too.


A 135g tub of reusable Cyber Clean putty is available online for only US$9.99

Cyber Clean Commercial

Product Page: ThinkGeek

Students at Arizona State University's College of Design have created an unusual-looking concept toilet, called "Go With The Flo", which has just won the Breaking the Rules Silver Award at the Northwest Design Invitational.


Go With The Flo features an ergonomic, sustainable design concept for baby boomers that functions like a squat toilet that you actually sit on.

The designers claim that using this toilet is similar to doing yoga, helping you build and strengthen your abdominal and back muscles.

The toilet is somewhat eco-friendly too as it reuses water that you used to wash your hands at the sink to flush itself by means of an electromagnetic ball valve.

Articles: ASU News, Core77, Gizmodo

Despite being around since 2006, free social networking site Twitter has only recently become increasingly popular among Bruneians. We've been following the change of Twitter's worldwide popularity for quite some time now, watching it grow from just personal use to a platform full of information from 'real' up-to-date celebrity, technology and world news, to a great place for marketing your products and services. So what is Twitter?


The somewhat addictive micro-blogging service lets users send and read other users' updates (known as Tweets). Imagine a stripped-down, easier to use version of Facebook that concentrates on just one simple question: What are you doing?

It lets you stay connected, and more or less lets you know what people are doing. Twitter lets you follow the updates of people who matter to you - from friends and family, to celebrities for some. Check out the video below to understand what it is and how simple it is to use.


The service did not take off as soon as they might have wanted, with it only gaining worldwide popularity arguably after high-profile, A-list celebrities started 'Tweeting'. Actor Ashton Kutcher is currently the most popular person on the service with more than a million followers.


Celebrity news addicts can now get their fix from even more reliable sources - the celebrities themselves! Imagine knowing what celebrities like Demi Moore, Britney Spears, John Mayer, Ryan Seacrest and P.Diddy (just to name a few) are doing right now, and be able to communicate with them personally!


Twitter also lets you find out breaking world news even before they get to be shown on TV, with large news corporations like CNN and the BBC too getting in on the act. You can now even get emergency updates from the US Center for Disease Control Emergency team regarding the recent outbreak of the Swine Flu.


If you're very much familiar with Facebook, then Twitter will be easy to understand. Your home page will consist of a similar 'live feed' of that of the popular social networking site, which shows you what the people you're following are doing at the moment. These 'Tweets' will usually consist of links to photos and web-pages, making them even more interesting to read. From there, you'll be able to interact with them and post what you're doing too.


Just like we were before, you might be skeptical about joining yet another social networking site, but you really have to try this one out to actually see how fun and informative it will be.

Follow Simpur on Twitter to find out what we're up to.. http://twitter.com/simpur.

Once you're on Twitter, you'll also get to follow the likes of our famous local bloggers too, including Ranoadidas, AnakBrunei, Jan Shim and Kurapak too.


Create an account: Twitter
Top Twitter users: Twitterholic

If you're usually stressed at your workplace, this USB-powered (mini) Zen Garden will create the relaxing, peaceful sounds of running water while you're crunching those figures for your next company report.


This weird, yet probably useful USB gadget, featuring plastic bamboos and a mini watering system, costs US$25 and is only available in Japan. Surprise surprise.

USB Hakoshishi

Articles: Akihabara News, CrunchGear, Gizmodo

It hasn't been long since we told you of the news that 500 million applications had already been downloaded from Apple's revolutionary App Store back in February, but the iPod & iPhone creators announced on Friday that they had just reached the milestone of 1 billion downloads - an amazing feat, considering that the store was only launched nine months ago.

Apple launched their Billion App Countdown contest two weeks ago, giving App Store customers from all around the world a chance to win a $10,000 iTunes gift card, an iPod Touch, a 17-inch MacBook Pro, and a Time Capsule to the one person who downloads the billionth app from its online store.


Connor Mulcahey, a 13 year-old from Connecticut was announced as the lucky winner of the fabulous prizes after he downloaded 'Bump', a FREE social networking application (some people have all the luck!).

Today, the groundbreaking App Store has more than 35,000 free and paid applications available, so whether you're just a casual gamer or into something else, there's bound to be an app for you. There's never been a better time to get an iPhone or iPod Touch. For a taste of the quality of applications available, click here to read our Play@Simpur post on iPhone / iPod Touch Apps.

Articles: Mac Rumors, 9 to 5 Mac, Apple Press Release
Product Info: Apple App Store, Play@Simpur feature

Computer desktops, just like normal desktops, can sometimes be messy and annoyingly cluttered if you don't organize your files properly. Thanks to a new application called BumpTop, you can now organize your desktop in a whole new fun and productive way.


BumpTop allows you to toss and bump objects and files across your desktop and organize them into piles, just like you would on your real-life desktops.


File icons can even be zoomed into to get a better look at what the files actually look like without opening them, just like the 'Quick Look' feature on Macs.


Documents can even be pinned up to the wall to make you remember which ones are important. Similarly, you can post notes up on the walls with the sticky note features that are available.

With a sexy layout and 3D visuals, BumpTop makes your boring computer desktop come to life.


If you happen to have a touchscreen or tablet computer, the effects from this application are even more captivating, as icons move under your finger just like they would in the real world, letting you flick through piles and toss files into folders.


BumpTop is available online in two versions - a US$29 version with all features and a free version with limited-but-still-cool features.

Unfortunately for us Mac users here at Simpur, BumpTop is only available for Windows machines, but might be Mac OS X compatible in the near future if the developers see a demand for it.

But don't just take our word for it, check out the video below to see how cool BumpTop really is..


Articles: Engadget, Gizmodo
Product Page: BumpTop

We've witnessed rather large leaps in product innovation lately, but with the 'Green Box', Eco Incorporated has proved that innovation does not have to be complicated to be brilliant.


For years the pizza box design has remained unchanged for years, but you might have noticed that the box is quite hard to store as it takes up too much space, especially when there are just a few pieces of uneaten pizza left.

The environmentally friendly Green Box can be split into many pieces quite easily. Half of the box breaks into four squares which can be used as plates, while the other half can be ripped off to easily folded and transformed into a storage container for leftovers.

Demo of the Green Box

Article: Wired Gadget Lab
Product Page: Eco Incorporated

The Nokia E75 finally made its way to our shores a few weeks ago, but as fast as the retailers could put the phone up on their shelves, it seems to disappear rather quickly, due to its unsurprising popularity..


If you missed the news on the big event when Nokia announced this cool phone way back in February, here are some of the smartphone's features;

- 2.4" 16M-color TFT display of QVGA resolution
- Four-row side-slide QWERTY keyboard
- Quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G (with HSDPA) support
- Symbian OS with S60 3.2 UI
- 3.5mm standard audio jack
- microSD card slot, 4GB microSD card prebundled
- 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera with a dedicated shutter key, geotagging and VGA@30fps video recording
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g with UPnP technology
- USB and stereo Bluetooth (A2DP) connectivity
- Steel battery cover
- Office document editor


The features of course just don't end there, click here for a full detailed list of all the phone's specs.

A brief look at the design and features of the E75

Overall, the Nokia E75 impressed us in more ways than one. The side-sliding QWERTY keypad will surely please the messaging crowd, especially those who email on-the-go. Despite being marketed as a business phone, the E75 can be quite a head-turner too with its sexy curves and design.

Will the E75 be able to match the popularity of the E71?

The Nokia E75 is now available at Incomm for B$788.00, with more discounts when you use your DST Card. But we suggest you make your purchase during the Brunei-Muara district instalment of the DST Customer Appreciation Day (27th & 28th April 2009) as it will be sold for B$699, bundled with an Easi Starter Pack!

Product Page: Nokia E75

It's been a cool past few years in the world of technology, with innovators going crazy with their concepts of products you would never have thought you'd see in your lifetime. If the SmartFaucet concept gets the go-ahead and goes into production, you might not be able to escape those pesky work emails, even when you're in the bathroom.


Besides letting you check your emails, calendar and the outside temperature, this high-tech bathroom fixture by iHouse will even automatically turn on the water to your preferred temperature and flow using facial recognition technology!

The SmartFaucet also features LEDs (Light-emitting-diodes) that illuminate to show the variation of water temperature, that transitions from blue to red, letting you know if the water is cold or hot.

Demo of iHouse's SmartFaucet

Articles: Born Rich, OhGizmo!, Gizmodo
Product Page: iHouse

Wouldn't it be great if you could make yourself scrambled eggs without having to use your pots and pans at all? Believe it or not, Hario's microwave egg cooker lets you make scrambled eggs, onsen eggs, poached eggs and more with just your microwave.


Simply place your eggs inside the little container, follow the instructions to choose what type of eggs you want, place it in a microwave, and you're breakfast will be ready after a few minutes.


Articles: Gizmodo, TokyoMango, Impress Watch (Japanese)
Product Page: Hario (Japanese)

Bumper cars are always fun to play with at theme parks and playgrounds, but can you imagine the amount of fun you could have if you can bump into each other's floats in your pool?


SkyMall's inflatable Bumper Boat features a tiny, safe & quiet motor that's controlled by an easy to use steering wheel.

These floats can hold up to 200 pounds and simply run on 6 D batteries.


If you already have a pool in your backyard, these US$99 Bumper Boats should be your next purchase!

Article: CraziestGadgets
Product Page: SkyMall

You can now enjoy the freshness of your potato chips even long after they're first opened with SkyMall's handy Bag Re-Sealer.


Simply slide the AA-battery-powered device along the edges of any plastic bag to get an airtight seal in seconds.

You can open and reseal the same bag over and over again, making it ideal for those large-sized crisps that you can't seem to finish in one go.

The Bag Re-Sealer comes in a pack of 2 (pink and blue colours) and is available for US$25.99.

Articles: Random Good Stuff
Product Page: SkyMall

You all should know by now that your unclean keyboards might already be harboring thriving colonies of bacteria and viruses, but the Medigenic keyboard boasts a couple of features that make it less likely to be infested with germs.


The easy-to-clean keyboard, designed to be used in places like hospitals, features a flat surface with no physically raised keys so you won't get crumbs, dirt or anything else trapped in it.

The keyboard has a customizable system that tells you when cleaning is required and a backlight that allows it to be used in low-light environments.

The Medigenic keyboard is available for US$140, while similarly functioning mouse is available for US$80.

Articles: OhGizmo!, Engadget
Product Page: Medigenic Keyboard

Remember those water-pressure-powered mini rockets that people used to play with? Those were cool back in the day, but the new, 7-foot-tall Titan Blast inflatable rocket looks like an awesome advancement to that concept to say the least.


This gigantic rocket is able to soar over 100 feet up in the air - high enough to scare your neighbors!


Simply add water to the launching station and use the simple pumping device to pressurize the rocket and watch it blast off into the sky.


What's more, the huge water vapor created during launches make it seem like a real rocket is taking off!


Available online for an affordable US$49.96, it will guarantee hours of fun (even for us 'adults').

Titan Blast Commercial

Articles: 7Gadgets, OhGizmo!
Product Page: Walmart

Nikon Europe finally announced the D5000 DSLR camera at midnight last night, confirming rumors of the existence of the swivel-screened device, not long after pictures were leaked by an Israeli gadget blog hours earlier.


This 12.3 megapixel DSLR appears to go head to head with Canon's EOS 55D as it's slotted in between the D60 and D90.

Packed in a slightly smaller and simpler body of that of the D90, the D5000 boasts most of the D90's features, including its groundbreaking HD movie capability.

Perhaps the most unique feature is the camera's 2.7-inch vari-angle LCD monitor, which offers users a whole new way of taking photographs, allowing them to take pictures easily from any angle - perfect for those crowded places. It can even be reversed to let users take shots of themselves.

The kit version of the Nikon D5000 will be available for around US$850, while the body-only version will be available for US$730.

Articles: Digital Photography Review, CrunchGear
Product Page: Nikon D5000

Developed with city-working professionals in mind, the Gocycle is a normal pedal-powered lightweight bike that can switch to instant electric power at the touch of a button.


Under a single charge of approximately three hours, this electric bike will provide a travel range of up to 20 miles, at 15 mph.


The Gocycle is also the world's first production bicycle to feature a completely enclosed multi-speed chain-drive, which means you won't get any any grease or grime on your clothes.


Its innovative side-mounted wheels are easily interchangeable, making it easy to fix a flat tire. This design also lets the bike be easily packed and stored away into its hard storage case.


Customers will be able to purchase the Gocycle in the UK from this month, costing between 599 pounds and 1198 pounds.

Articles: Gizmag, Gizmodo
Product Website: Gocycle

Dieters will soon be able to enjoy chocolate without having to worry about calories with this month's unveiling of "Le Whif", a cigarette-like chocolate inhaler that allows you to take a puff of your favourite confectionery whenever you want.


Each whiff of this inhaler will fill your mouth with pure chocolate, letting you enjoy the taste of chocolate, but only consuming less than a calorie.

Until recently, food particles could not be made small enough to be airborne without the risk of choking, but the inventors of Le Whif have since claimed to find a way to offer super-tiny particles of chocolate through their inhaler.

Le Whif will come in mint chocolate, raspberry chocolate, mango chocolate and milk chocolate flavors, and will be available for US$52 in a pack of 24.

Article: Wired Gadget Lab, Gizmodo, Boing Boing
Product Website: Le Whif

Yet another computer fair is currently being held at The Mall, Gadong in the form of the "Brunei PC Fair 2009", which will last until Sunday, 12th April 2009. We dropped by early yesterday morning to look for unique, interesting and innovative products (and not forgetting those bargain buys), and we weren't disappointed.


If you visit The Mall regularly, you might have already been bored with the unsurprisingly large number of computer fairs that are held every year, but as consumers, we Bruneians are spoilt for choice with the amount of bargains thrown at us at these fairs, especially when the time comes to look for a brand new machine.

The first product that caught our eye was the Canon MP145 all-in-one printer, scanner and photocopier available at Paradise Computer. Unlike your regular printer, this $160 device features the Maxprint printing system - an ink 'tank' that can print up to 2000 copies. Normal print cartridges are not at all cheap, and what's worse is that they only can print up to 100 copies, so buying this printer will cut your printing costs by up to 80%!


If you're looking for an innovative desktop computer, then you'll want to visit Comsoft System's booth that features the HP TouchSmart PC. This sexy, iMac-like all-in-one computer boasts a full touchscreen display, letting you touch your way around your documents and even play games by moving your finger around the screen. You'll also be able to use the machine as a media-center by controlling your movies and music with the wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control. The built-in TV tuner with recording functionality is the icing on the cake of this $2,548 desktop.



Also available are the cute HP Mini ultra-mobile laptops, with prices starting at $888.

TTCO Enterprise's Sony Vaio laptop range seemed to be a great crowd puller too, with the 'branded' laptop range selling at affordable sale prices, including free RAM upgrades with some models.


Your computer isn't complete without a great-sounding audio system to compliment it, but if you find that quality sounds come at a price, then SonicGear is a great choice. Brought to Brunei for the first time by Megacom Enterprise, these affordable devices provide crystal clear sounds and thumping bases which can even rival pricier brands such as Altec Lansing.


Bruneian 'computer' fairs are never complete without other electronic devices on sale, and this fair is no different, selling a good variety of camcorders, cameras, hi-fis and more.



There's no denying that AIFA Sdn Bhd's affordable range of LCD and Plasma TVs caught our eye, especially when they're selling some of the models at up to $1000 cheaper!


The Brunei PC Fair is located at the Atrium Hall of The Mall, Gadong.