Playing In the Sand Could Make You Pay On the Toilet

Some people go to the beach but eschew going into the water because it's "gross". If that's you, then you are a sucker. According to a new EPA study, playing in the sand more than doubles your chances of getting sick.

The study, which was a collaboration between the EPA, UNC Chapel Hill, and Johns Hopkins, found a relationship between sand exposure and gastrointestinal illnesses due to fecal microbial pollution in beach sand. Yeah, sandpoop. It was even worse than exposure to the ocean water. The researchers tested 144 wet-sand samples from beaches within two miles of a waste treatment-works outfall (testing for Enterococcus, Bacteroidales, fecal Bacteroides, and Clostridium, and others) and conducted nearly 5,000 interviews at the beaches with followup interviews two weeks later.

They found that, compared with beachgoers who did not dig in the sand, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of illness among those who dug in the sand with the highest Enterococcus levels was 2.0 for GI illnesses and 2.4 for diarrhea (considered as a separate outcome).

In other words, they were between two and two and-a-half times as likely to get sick. And it was even worse for people who were buried in the sand. The EPA doesn't advocate avoiding the beach all together, but says people "should consider washing their hands or using a hand sanitizer after playing in the sand or water." Yeah, or maybe a Silkwood shower would do the trick.

Obviously, examining beaches that are near waste-treatment plants are liable to be nastier, but the EPA thinks wider conclusions can be drawn. Beaches with less nasty water are likely to have less nasty sand, but the sand is still likely to be nastier than the water. Way too much nastiness for my liking.

I'd never really considered this, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Sand is often used for filtration systems (y'know, they're called "sand filters"), because it's good at pulling contaminants out of water. Those contaminants don't just disappear. So basically, the beach is one big filter for the nastiness in the ocean. Which is, y'know, gross, but if you think that's going to keep me off the beach you've got another thing coming. If you need me, I'll be surfing in an biohazard suit. More here.

How Much Abuse Can a Blackberry Take?

RIM just put out a series of videos showcasing the durability tests a Blackberry has to withstand prior to its release. Pretty cool!

The featured victim is a Blackberry Curve, which is dunked in water, bent to excess, and dropped.

Hankie Notepads Keep Reporters Looking Dapper

That Field Notes notebook you'll find in many a reporter's back pocket ensures they never miss a scoop, but it doesn't do a lot for their image. At least not as much as this clever faux-hankie notebook that complements a blazer.

Available in a polka-dotted red, black, or white pattern, the top of the notebook is trimmed to a point so it looks like a folded hankie when carried in a breast pocket. And with 60 pages of acid-free paper, you have enough space for every scandalous quote. Available here for $10 each—pencil, blazer, and whimsical sense of style not included. Get it here.

Nokia, Samsung, Apple are the New top 3 Handset Makers

The latest figures are in from IDC: the top three global smartphone makers are Nokia, Samsung andApple, in that order. Drilling down into the figures finds some surprises: Cupertino's third-place with only 8.7 percent of the market, while the giants of Korea and Finland are duking it out with 22.8 percent and 26.6 respectively. LG and ZTE are tied for fourth, but that's hardly good news for Goldstar, given that it's lost a staggering 42.2 percent of its market share in the last twelve months (Nokia was the other loser, eating 8.2 percent).

ADzero Bamboo Cellphone's Aiming for the Giant Panda Market

This is the ADzero, a smartphone with a four-year old, organically grown bamboo unibody shell. It was designed by British student Kieron-Scott Woodhouse, a final-year product design student at Middlesex University. After his concept designs were spotted online, the 23 year old was approached to help design a real device. 

The Android-powered phone is built with an eye on sustainability, but isn't scrimping on the technical: its packing a camera with a reportedly unique ring-flash that encircles the lens. It'll be released in China and the UK shortly, with a focus on getting it into the hands of design-focused consumers. 

Facebook Valued at Just Under $100 Billion

In a private market auction yesterday, Facebook was valued at $94 billion, which is squarely in the ballpark of the $100 billion valuation that financial pundits have been tossing around. Don't read much more into it than that; there's plenty of time for the valuation to change slightly before the actual IPO (sometime in May), and either way, it's not going to affect you in the slightest.

SharesPost Inc. completed an auction of 100,000 shares of Facebook’s Class B common stock, according to an e-mail obtained by Bloomberg News. The shares were sold for a clearing price of $40 each, valuing the company at $94 billion based on a fully diluted share count of about 2.35 billion, according to SharesPost.

Facebook filed this week to raise at least $5 billion in the largest Internet IPO on record. The Menlo Park, California- based company, with 845 million users worldwide, is considering a valuation of $75 billion to $100 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said last week. At the top of the range, Facebook would be the ninth-biggest U.S. technology company by market value.

A $100 billion market capitalization would value Facebook at 26.9 times trailing 12-month sales, more than double Google Inc.’s valuation when the search-engine operator went public in 2004. Revenue at Facebook jumped 88 percent last year to $3.71 billion, while net income climbed by almost two-thirds to $1 billion.

The valuation based on a per-share price of $40 may change depending on the actual share count after the IPO. As of Dec. 31, Facebook had 117.1 million Class A shares and 1.76 billion Class B shares outstanding. Additionally, there are about 380 million restricted stock units that vest at a later date, as well as other shares tied to options and compensation.

Skype Rolls out Update for Windows with full HD Video Calling, Group Screen Sharing

Skype rolled out its version 5.8 software update for Windows users today, and it brings with it a couple of fairly notable features. That includes full HD video calling (provided you have a suitable webcam and internet connection, of course), video calling to Facebook users (regardless of whether they have Skype installed or not), and group screen sharing, which will let folks share either their entire desktop or a single application with other participants on a conference call. 

That last feature is only available with Skype Premium, though. Other new features include a "push to talk" option that will let you set up a hotkey to trigger your microphone (for multiplayer gaming, for instance), the ability to hide offline Facebook contacts, and one possible fruit of the Microsoft acquisition: Bing toolbar integration. Get it here.

The Tablet That Every Linux Lover Has Been Waiting For

While most people just want their devices towork so that they can do stuff, some people love tinkering with operating systems. Until now, the tablet sector's been ripe for hacking, but there hasn't been anything that's truly open-source and easy to fiddle with from the get-go. This Spark tablet puts that straight.

It runs Plasma Active UX, an open-source OS based on the Linux kernel. It's not, I think it's fair to say, designed to be a Kindle Fire or iPad competitor. Indeed, it's aimed at "those who love writing great software... using the typical Linux tools". That kind of rules me out, but it will get plenty of people excited, I'm sure.

In terms of specs, it fairs modestly: a 1GHz AMLogic ARM processor, 512 MB RAM, 4GB internal storage plus SD card slot, a 7" capacitive multi-touch screen and wifi connectivity. It's slated to cost around $260 when it ships, though at the moment it's not clear when that will be. More here. 

New, Targeted Mouthwash Could Eliminate Tooth Decay "Within Our Lifetimes"

A single species of bacteria is responsible for tooth decay. But until now, mouthwash has worked by sterilizing your maw wholesale. But why go Death Star v. Alderaan on it when you could just kill off that one bad species? This is exactly what Colgate has done and the result could mean an end to cavities—forever.

The bacterial species Streptococcus mutans constitutes just 0.1-percent of the biomass currently residing in your mouth (fun fact: 100 trillion bacteria live there) but is the primary cause of decay. The rest of the 99.9-percent are harmless and some even beneficial. To spare these innocuous bacteria death by rinsing, a research team at the Colgate Technology Center in conjunction with the UCLA School of Dentistry have developed a mouthwash that kills only S. mutans and does so with extreme prejudice.

The study, published in the November issue of the Carries Research journal, involved 12 volunteers who rinsed with a solution containing a "specifically targeted anti-microbial peptide". After just a single rinse, the S. mutans was completely wiped out and the patients remained S. mutans-free for the duration of the four-day study. the rest of the bacteria were left unscathed.

Obviously, more than a 12-person test is going to be needed to obtain FDA approval. Which is why follow up studies ar already scheduled for as early as March. If it does win FDA approval, this mouthwash could be bigger than flouride—you'd never have to brush.

"With this new antimicrobial technology, we have the prospect of actually wiping out tooth decay in our lifetime," Dr. Wenyuan Shi, chair of UCLA's oral biology section, said in a written statement. More here.

This Folding Bike Helmet Is an Urban Cyclist’s Dream Come True

Cycling in cities is a great idea: it's quick, cheap, and you even get some exercise. But the number of people that don't wear a helmet is frankly terrifying. Maybe this folding helmet will help change that.

Designed by French studio Agency 360 in 2010, but going into production this year, this folding helmet is called Overade. According to Patrick Jouffret, the designer, who worked alongside engineer Philippe Arrouart, it offers as much protection as a standard helmet but folds up when not in use. 

OK, it doesn't fold up to be tiny, but it's small enough to not get in the way. It'll definitely fit in a bag easily. I normally clip the chin strap of my helmet around the strap of my bag when I'm off my bike, but that's a real pain in the ass, and this could be a solution.

But where this helmet really comes into its own is in cities with bike sharing schemes. When you're not certain you'll be able to get a bike, and when there's zero possibility of being able to lock your helmet to a bike when you leave it, there's currently little motivation for people to take a helmet with them. That's dangerous, and hopefully something like this will help solve the problem. More here.

APK puts Windows 95, 98 and XP, plus Linux on the EVO 3D

And here you thought Microsoft bringing Windows 8 to ARM was big news. Turns out, a member of the xda-developers forum has managed to make an APK that puts a variety of Redmond's x86 operating systems on the HTC EVO 3D and its 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon silicon -- Windows 95, 98, XP and even your favorite flavor of Linux are all available for the three dee-equipped handset. 

All you need to do is install the Bochs Pentium emulator APK and the OS disk image of your choice, modify a couple files, and you'll be doing yesteryear's desktop computing on a handheld in no time. Feeling nostalgic? Detailed instructions how to do it yourself and the necessary files can be found here. 

Does it do the blue screen of death or the force close dance when things go awry?

Sony’s Underwater Cybershot TX200V Is the iPhone’s Fat Photo-Taking Cousin

Sony's new glass-faced TX200V is a decidedly opulent stab at something we've been asking for around here: a waterproof camera that doesn't sacrifice optics and design. It's just that it does it at a pretty painful price point.

The TX200V has Sony's new 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor, which has the hugest resolution in any point and shoot. It's also got a new processor, and has the superfast 0.1 -second autofocus of the TX55, and lowered low-light autofocus to 0.2 seconds. It shoots Full HD 1080/60p video, has 5x (35mm) optical zoom, a range of f3.5-4.8, and a 1,229,760-dot TruBlack OLED screen. The 16-foot waterproof spec is about half that of other rugged cameras right now, and it doesn't feature the shock-proof or drop-proof specs of those other cameras either.

It's also a good deal fatter than you're used to from Cybershot cameras, sort of resembling a morbidly obese iPhone from the front.

It's out in March for $500, more here.

The Spice Grinder Improved With Grade School Science

Remember when you first learned about the power of levers? And how (in theory) you could even use one to move a mountain? Well Kuhn Rikon has applied the same principles to a spice grinder, but on a smaller scale.

Instead of using a twisting motion to grind salt or peppercorns, the company's $20 Ratchet Grinder has a long arm you crank back and forth, making it easier for everyone from kids to the elderly to operate. It also uses high-grade ceramics for its internal mechanisms, resulting in more consistent results whether you're after a fine powder or coarse chunks, and eliminating the corrosion that can hinder metal components. More here.

One Of History’s Greatest Minds Can Now Store Your Cat Videos

Mimobot has been doing the character-based flash drive thing for a while now, focusing on superheroes and other fictional personalities. But their new Legends of Mimobot Series will instead feature the "stars of the human race," starting with Albert Einstein.

Arguably one of history's greatest minds, the man who thought up the theory of relativity can now be used to store your own physics homework, or more likely, the stupid videos you've downloaded.

Available now in capacities ranging from 2GB for $23, to up to 64GB for $120, the drive comes pre-loaded with Einstein-themed accessories like desktop wallpaper and icons. And removing its cap reveals the physicist's lighter-side, from that famous photo hanging in dorm rooms across the country where he's sticking his tongue out. More here.

Scratch ‘N Sniff Raspberry Scented Jeans Means You Never Have to Wash Them

These jeans look like any other pair of denim you'd see on a fashionable twenty something. Dark, slim fit and cut perfectly, heck, I wouldn't mind buying these myself. But unlike other jeans, this pair is made with scratch 'n sniff raspberry scented denim. Yes. Scratch and sniff. On your freaking jeans! This is awesome.

Made by Naked & Famous Denim, one of the craziest jeans company in the world, the scratch 'n sniff effect is created by using a coating of micro capsules that hold a bit of 'perfume' which is baked into the surface of the jeans. Scratch it and the scent is released. What's even crazier is that Naked and Famous say the raspberry scent even works after washes (they've washed it 5 times and it's still smelling fresh).

I'm just excited about the possibility of never having to wash my jeans ever again. When it starts to smell, I'll just scratch like mad and release the scent of a 5-year-old fat kid. YES. More here.

February 1 Is Change Your Password Day

If you are like me—and of course you are, right? we are all gingers inside—you probably have password security that ranges from awful-like-Batman-Forever to thoroughly mediocre.

Also if you are like me, you might've bought shoes from Zappos once—Keen Coronados in India In/Black Olive, to be precise—and been informed that some jerk might've stolen your password. Which, in my case, means they've got one of a series of root passwords that could potentially access one of my other accounts. And, boy, I've got a lot of accounts, I realized as I was counting up all the password changes I needed to make.

And then, a nanosecond later came the realization that this is going to keep happening, every year, every month, maybe every week. It's already happened a bunch—a hearty wave to you PSN players and Senatorial Twitter users—so it's time to get a password manager and give every account a unique, hard-to-crack password. Some password managers are here and here.

Quantum Dots Could Increase Fiber Optic Bandwidth up to 10 Times

Nothing screams World of Tomorrow quite like quantum dots. Alongside the possibility of paint-on solar cells, the technology could also multiply optic fiber bandwidth by up to ten times. The Photonic Network Research Institute at NICT has been able to crank up the capacity of the data transmission system by combining a light source and photonic crystal fiber.

The quantum dots act as the light source, and via the NICT's new "sandwiched sub-nano separator structure" [above], they can be tweaked to work at 70THz -- far in excess of the 10THz frequencies typically used. Aside from optical communications, the potency of these high frequencies allow it to pass beyond skin, opening up the use of quantum dots to medical scanning and high resolution cell imaging. Is there anything these dots can't do?

Windows 8 Adds Sensor Support

Microsoft is slowly turning its stalwart desktop OS into a mobile powerhouse. The company just keeps rolling out improvements and features for Windows 8 aimed at really making upcoming tablets competitive with their Android and iOS-based market mates. After cramming mobile broadband tools into the tile-happy OS, now Redmond is turning its attention towards sensors. 

The next version of Windows will offer integrated support for gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers and ambient light sensors among other things. Devs will even be able to use multiple sensors in conjunction for more accurate interaction.

Wikileaks Announces Julian Assange TV Show, World Governments fire up Their DVRs

Ready or not, Julian Assange is heading toward a TV set near you. Wikileaks announced this week that its controversy-embroiled founder will be getting his own TV show, in which he'll be interviewing "key political players, thinkers and revolutionaries." Information on the series is light at present -- the largely unknown Quick Roll Productions will apparently play a role in its creation. 

The show is set to begin airing in the middle of March and will run as ten 30 minute weekly episodes. Assange for one, clearly has grand ambitions for the series, stating that it "will explore the possibilities for our future in conversations with those who are shaping it. Are we heading towards utopia, or dystopia and how we can set our paths?" 

eye3 Hexicopter Helps your DSLR Take Flight for $999

Your camera wants to take flight -- it does -- and an ambitious new project aims to make your DSLR's aeronautic ambitions a reality. The eye3 hexacopter is a six-armed carbon-fiber unmanned arial vehicle (UAV) that hopes to make aerial photography accessible to the masses. Designed by a couple with a hankering for robotics, the flying machine is modular (for easy repair) and navigates using a combination of Google Maps and open-source code. 

Those without a pilot license need not worry: the eye3 utilizes the oft-improving APM2 software for a "compact yet powerful" autopilot experience. The UAV can carry a payload of five to ten pounds, boasts three CPUs and has a 350-watt motor strapped to each tentacle. More here.