Some recent gadget auctions on eBay:

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2008 Piaggio MP3 500 Scooter Review Read the full scooter review at Motorcycle.com. www.motorcycle.com This is not your grandma’s scooter, to say the least. The three-wheeled MP3 goes around corners like a motorcycle thanks to some innovative engineering and looks like a cross between a grasshopper and a transformer. If Darth Vader had a scooter, this would be it.

I read something the other day that argued that Netflix has not a chance in hell of becoming “this century’s HBO.” Netflix may be popular, but don’t expect it to achieve the type of penetration and success of the cable channel. Hollywood politics and whatnot. Another reason is that HBO has designs on the on-demand market with HBO Go, a service that lets its subscribers see “anything they want to see, anytime, anywhere, over their laptop, iPhone, tablet, PlayStation.” The first cable system to get HBO Go is Verizon FIOS. Supposedly HBO Go will eventually be available to all HBO subscribers, but deals need to be put in place between your ISP and the cable channel.

You need to have FIOS TV and FIOS Internet access to partake right now. If you have both, grasshopper, then you merely log into either hbogo.com or verizon.com/fiostvonline to enjoy whatever.

It’s funny: I’ve been running my own on-demand service since like 2002: it’s called Usenet.

With HBO Go, you’ll be able to see anything HBO has the license to from anywhere there’s an Internet connection. Well, presumably only within the United States. If you just so happen to be on vacation in Europe and want to see “that episode of The Sopranos” from your hotel in Madeira, you’re probably SOL.

By Evan Ackerman

Last May, we wrote about a 7 gram robot grasshopper that is capable of jumping a distance of 1.4 meters, which is pretty huge for such a small robot. By using reduction gears and legs that act as springs, the robot is a very efficient mover, as well. We commented in that post that “the great thing about jumping is that it combines the advantages of being on the ground with one of the most important advantages of being able to fly: obstacle avoidance.” Of course, the other big advantage of being able to fly is that you can cover large distances quickly and efficiently (albeit mostly due to the aforementioned avoidance of obstacles).

Researchers at EPFL’s Laboratory of Intelligent Systems have made their robot grasshopper into a true flier by…

Read More At BotJunkie…

OK. So we promised you on last week’s episode that we would do a single-purpose gadgets episode this week. Turns out, promising that type of thing in advance isn’t such a good idea as we actually had to work to find gadgets that fit the theme. So we made it, but admittedly by the skin of our collective teeth. It’s all worth it for the segments, though. Patience, young grasshopper!

Listen now:

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EPISODE 149

Sony responds to Kindle onslaught with Reader Touch and Pocket

Pancake machine churns 200 flapjacks per hour (thanks, Peter Lee!)

Ramen robot!

Multiblade pizza slicer guarantees perfect-sized slices

Lava Lamp returns as Mathmos Fireflow

A Propos (of) Nothing

The Wall-E USB drive is too cute for even baby talk to describe

This week in hello kitty

Hello Kitty limited edition Casio Exilim EX-Z2

It’s About Time

Darth Vader clock radio has no patience for your sloth

PRETTY

Bugatti Diva espresso machine inspires poetry

Potty Time

Public urinal lets you pee into the wall

Kill Me

Sony’s new “Girlz Play Too” campaign

Pink Watch (Kill Me Edition)

ChicBuds “by women, for women”

…

Originally posted at Gadgettes, the blog

Now here’s an app many creative professionals might find useful. The DSLR Remote iPhone app lets you trigger your camera’s shutter, adjust almost any of its settings, and view photos it’s taken. The catch, unfortunately, is that the camera needs to be wired to a computer for this to work. Even so, I can think of plenty of situations where this could come in handy, though admittedly there are few where a professional would absolutely need it. Still, the more tools you have, the more versatile your whole setup is, and who wouldn’t want to snap pics via their iPhone anyway?

It even works with Live View, so you essentially have yourself a gigantic spy camera if you need it. It’s available now at the App Store in two flavors: Lite for $2 and Pro for $10. I’d spring for Pro, because that lets you do the more advanced adjustments and use Live View.

There are plans for a Nikon version but they’re still testing that. Patience, grasshopper.

[via Photo District News]