cloning

What are iPhone knock-offs really like?

The sheer number of new mobile phones out there doesn't allow us to include every single one in our already-extensive database, let alone review all of them. As you might expect, knock-offs of iPhones are especially low priority in our "to review" list. That's not to say they aren't interesting, though, in a "should I get one for my boss because I hate him" kind of way.

The people at Red Ferret have an interesting roundup of five so-called iPhone clones. And as indicated by the comments and ratings from the author, none … Read more

Where the Hobbit movies will be better than LoTR

EPISODE 27

From rainy New York City--today we talk about how the new Hobbit movies won't suck because Guillermo del Toro will be behind the camera, this weekend's movies, reactions from last night's Lost premiere, and the whole Microsoft and Yahoo! merger thingie. Plus, we'll recall TV shows we miss and the time when MTV wasn't awful.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Scientists create glow-in-the-dark cats

This may be the fluffiest, freakiest thing since Alba, the green fluorescent bunny from artist Eduardo Kac.

South Korean scientists tinkering with fluorescence protein genes say they have bred white Turkish Angora cats to glow red under ultraviolet light.

The pair of cats cloned from a mother's altered skin cell are nearly a year old. The researchers told the AFP that their work could help unravel mysteries of some 250 genetic diseases suffered by both humans and cats. The findings also could be used to clone endangered tigers, leopards, and other animals, the report said.

However, it's unlikely … Read more

Attack of the pine tree clones

Vancouver's CellFor, which breeds clones of pine trees for forestry operations, has received $24.5 million in a fourth round of financing, according to VentureWire.

The company, founded after the merger of two other companies in 1999, has come up with techniques for breeding disease-resistant, uniform pine tree seedlings. The 18-inch high seedlings cost 35 cents each, more than the five cents that ordinary seedlings fetch. Still, CellFor says it can sell 100 million seedlings annually and hit profitability in two years.

Forestry is the last sector of agriculture that doesn't heavily emphasize breeding techniques to increase yield, … Read more

Nothing faked in iClone's animation

Do you want to be the next John Lasseter? Is Hayao Miyazaki your hero? iClone Studio Edition 2.0 updates the feature-heavy, template-based 3D animation studio aimed at the amateur animator. It's a must-see app if you're trying to break into the camera side of movies and animation, or if you just want to play around with 3D animation without having to draw everything from scratch.

The installation is a bit of a drag, with a mandatory registration that also scans your computer's hardware. If your machine is tall enough for the ride, you can get access to an extended trial version with a few more templates than the regular trial. Once you're in, though, iClone really gets down to business.… Read more