You can easily get 20% off pretty much anything you buy if it’s part of Microsoft’s buyback program.

Here’s how you do it.  Goto Live.com and search for anything you want to buy.  Sometimes, you will have to enter the competitors product to get the discount.  (As you can see above, you get 20% off for HP laptops by searching for Dell Laptops)

I started my search at Live.com and searched for “cheap” along with some product name; I tried a few variations such as “cheap wii” and “cheap laptop” and both worked. (Nick pointed out in the comments that you should sign into Live before you search; I’d forgotten that I was signed into Live when I started. Thanks, Nick!)

Looked for the link titled “Buy A Cheap Laptop. You may get XX% off with PayPal if eligible.” (This morning, it was 30%. As I type this, it’s 20%)

Searched for the MSI Wind (Buy it Now items only), and purchased it using Paypal.

Made sure that at every step of the way, I saw the icon for “Microsoft cashback” at the top of the screen.

via laptop blog, hackszine

Here’s the Top 10 BED gadgets of the week from our BED Blog:

1) Get a classy arcade game for your bedroom.  That’s right, no more Wii and PS3.2) High Can High Fidelity BED looks pretty freakin’ awesome dude.

Take a look into the future of high-end technological bedding with the Hi-Can High Fidelity Bed. It offers practically a packaged bed with gadgetry as this revolutionary bed allows you to simply lie down and have the luxuries of living at your finger tips.

3) Do you need a sticker-lamp that will stick on your wall?

If you are too broke to invest in a table-lamp or just want a change then we suggest the uber cool Tall and Tiny Vinyl sticker-lamps by Alice Rosignoli. The Tall sticker goes in the livingroom and the Tiny in the bedroom (because its meant to be a table lamp).

4) Vase made from old books, what a great idea.

Books are good for reading and perhaps donating them or selling them to people who may need them is a good recourse. But did you know you could also turn some books into vases that could be good furnishings for your home?

5) Fitbit Trackers tracks your sleep patterns.

The Fitbit Tracker is a new wireless device that not only acts as a fitness trainer but also tracks your beauty sleep. The in built-in motion sensor in FitBit tracks exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality and even distance.

6) Orbit 50 TV Stand might be an interest to some of you and your home.

A part of the stylish, expanding Karim Collection, created in partnership with industrial/interior designer Karim Rashid, the Orbit 50 is specifically designed to provide corner-friendly support for a display up to 50 inches and 125 pounds. While not intended to house massive receivers and the like, it can accommodate compact gear like current DVD players or even integrated HTiB components, with cable management slots for routing wires through the center post.

7) Here’s a funky LED Alarm Clock, how do you read it?

This deconstructed black LED alarm clock can be ordered online from the Uncommon Goods website . The best part of this clock is that each number occupies a separate block, allowing you to stack, hang, and arrange the digits in any way you fancy. The time, brightness, and alarm are controlled through a monolithic black box and the clock is retailing for $85.00.

Wow, check out these cool CD/DVD shelves.

Here is a cool dvd/cd shelf to have in the bedroom. The Duoplane CD Shelf has been designed by Sojiro Inoue and its hard not to like it for its simple clean lines. The shelf can be wall-mounted in either the vertical or horizontal position and can hold up to 75 CDs or DVDs as well as small collectibles.

9) Phi-ton bed looks very comfy, it must be a synonym for fu-tons.

The Phi-ton Bed by Fried-Jan Unger  has no sub-frame, which makes it completely safe. Awarded the “Good Design® Award” recently, the bed has an optional vibra-massage feature as well as a self- correcting steering unit.

10) Next time you are on a backpack trip, make sure to take the Jumbo 747 Hostel.

Dios bought the 500-seater jumbo jet, built in 1976, from its last owner Transjet after the air operator went bust in 2002.

The Jumbo Hostel, which will remain grounded at the airport, will begin taking reservations from travellers in December.

If the venture proves successful in Sweden, Dios hopes to open more jumbo jet hostels elsewhere.

Well, that’s all folks for now, for more, check out the Bed Blog and Bed Gadgets.

Nintendo WiFi Router!

Although I rather use a Linksys router so I can hack it for maximum speed, you might benefit from this Nintendo-branded Wifi router that will complement your Wii colors well. (with white)

via ohgizmo, Product Page

Click Here to View in Full Screen Mode

This homebrewed Wii App called Wii Physics is similar to Microsoft’s Physics Illustrator and will let you test out your ideas before applying them in real life.

Wii Physics is a clever little homebrew app. You use the Wiimote to rotate, size and place objects on a stage. Pulleys, ropes, gears and joints can be used to connect objects together, and when you press the play button, a 2D physics system is turned on, causing the objects to fall and interact with each other.

You can download this for free and run it from the Homebrew Channel. If you’re ambitious, you can also download the source, add new features, or base a new game off of it. It’s written using libwiisprite, a library you’ll want to check out if you’re thinking of doing any 2D game dev for the Wii.

via hackszine, Wii Physics on Google Code

Here’s a really cool DIY showing you how to hack a Wii sensor bar from a TV remote control.  Now, you can learn about electronics and circuits while re-making your favorite sensor bar.

Dad and I were trying to build a Wireless Sensor Bar and managed to do one that is all wires and batteries. Then He Started digging through all of his remotes around the house and found a couple that didn’t work on anything. so we set off to work on a “Version 2″ so to speak. We took one of the remotes and cut off part of the Circuit board and then drilled holes in the side for the IR LED’s and used the battery box already on the remote and made a sensor bar that is sort of “Incognito”

via hackedgadgets, hackwii

With the wind-up cranking remote control, couch potatoes will now be able to get some real motivation for working out those fingers.  Better yet, get a Wii Fit.

Our Wind Up Remote Control not only lets you survey and control your multimedia empire from the sofa armed with just one for all remote controls, this handy device is a completely battery free remote control so there are no batteries to replace, ever!

via newlaunches - gizoo

Related stuff:

Wind-up cranking Radio

Wind-up cranking Shaver

Wind-up cranking MP3

Free Wii may be in the works by the cable giant, Comcast, which will be held at major cities across the country including our very own San Francisco.

Comcast will be giving away free Wiis in a new special promotion, a current employee tell us. The offer is good for new Comcast double-play subscribers signing up July 28-August 17th in select markets. Our tipster confirmed the promo will be good in Miami, San Francisco, Houston, Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, and some other markets too.

via sfblogg - consumerist

Check out this cool DIY on how to build your own 3D motion sensing controller.

Make a 3D interface using an six resistors, aluminum foil, and an Arduino. Take that, Wii.

The basic goal here was to make a 3D position sensing system that most people can build, while still preserving some semblance of functionality. To get an idea of possible applications, check out the demo video. If you think you can build one that is simpler and equally accurate, or slightly more complex and more accurate, share in the comments!

via instructables

Now, here’s a cool infrared laser magnum gun for playing shooting games on Wii.

Product Features

* Magnum Gun for Wii
* Infrared Laser
* Authentic Feel
* Compatible with Wii Remote
* Lightweight

via amazon