Following up on their amazingly apt forgery of the iPhone, the hardware alchemists of China have come up with their own knock-off of the Amazon Kindle. Named the Wefound (as in we found another good idea to rip-off) and created by Peking University Founder Group, the device looks nearly identical to the Kindle except for the tiny navigation jog wheel.

The unit will use E Ink Corp's electronic paper for the display and users will be able to input content via a SIM card. The Wefound is slated to be released in China later this year for about $209, with plans to follow up with a release in Japan. While such duplicates are never pretty, with no Kindle available in Asia, this might turn out to be the solution for some international customers until Amazon gets its global-Kindle act together.

Via TechOn

A group of French engineering students want to see what their solar blimp — the helium-filled, solar-panel-studded Sol'r — can do. They have their eye on the English Channel for their first big test run, though the team has taken the one-seater craft into the air before and do know of its air-worthiness.

Seriously though, I find that I hate how much I love blimps (and their hard-bodied cousins, zeppelins). On the one hand, a craft such as the Sol'r is a zero-emissions solution for travel, and its shape makes it ideal to be covered with sun-drinking panels. On the other hand, it's low, sub-25-mile-per-hour speed in ideal conditions makes it the snail of air travel, it's highly susceptible to weather, and the craft don't exactly have the best track record.

Whether or not blimps and zepp's will ever recapture a place in flight is anyone's guess, though here's a fond good luck to the Sol'r crew in any case.

Project Sol'r, via Popular Mechanics, via Wired

We have to think that the only reason this Pac Man stapler was ever made is because they creators at Panik Design changed the name to "Stap Man." Still, that's some pretty flimsy copyright skirting — we think the legal trust at Namco is probably on the case, so you'd best hurry and send your $26 in to get one of these babies.

We suggest, though, that you also pick up some yellow paint, since Stap Man only comes in black or white. And, Panik, may we suggest a ghost staple remover?

Panik Design, via Gizmodo

Eating locally is all the rage these days, especially for city dwellers looking to shrink their carbon footprint. But it's tough to do that in a city, as farmers need to drive their goods in from the country, and that takes energy.

The Plantagon is a design for an enormous urban greenhouse, placing a spiraling vertical farm in the heart of a city. Is this really feasible? I'm not sure, but if it is I would sure like to live near one.

Plantagon via Inhabitat

Honda teased us with its sporty hybrid concept car nearly 2 years ago, but now the company is getting serious about shipping the snazzy CR-Z hybrid. Destined for Japanese roads at the beginning of next year, the company hasn't said yet if it will be available in the United States. Information is scarce, but so far, so good:

"Shorthand for 'Compact Renaissance Zero,' the CR-Z is a forward-thinking exercise in inspired design and environmental technology. The CR-Z draws its inspiration from a need to deliver spirited performance in an efficient manner."

We like the idea of the sporty hybrid with "spirited performance." While a year late, the appearance of the CR-Z is enough to give our "sportier" Chevy Volt jones a nudge.

Just look at that interior! However, as we learned from the Chevy Volt, a lot can happen between concept and reality. By the way, Honda added that it's going to make its Honda Fit available with hybrid tech next year, too.

Hitachi learned a thing or two when it bought drive manufacturer Fabrik, maker of SimpleTech and G-Technology drives. Just look at this spiffy SimpleTOUGH drive, available in 500GB, 320GB and 250GB capacities for $150, $120, and $100 respectively. No, that's not carbon fiber, but it looks a lot like it, and this sucker is tough as nails, able to survive a drop from 9 feet, and also sporting an attached USB connector for extra convenience. We like.

Check out the gallery below for the more colorful SimpleDRIVE Mini, available in the same capacities for 10 bucks less because they're not quite as tough. Also in the gallery you'll see the $79 SimpleNET adapter, letting you hook up a couple of USB drives to your network, albeit with meager 10/100 Ethernet speeds. Still, it would be fast enough for backups.

Most cellphone screens are wide, but not like this. The new LG Chocolate BL40 comes with a 4-inch, 800x344 rectangle of a multitouch screen, one that gives the phone a seriously distinctive look.

In addition to the unique form factor, it features Wi-Fi, 3G wireless speeds, GPS and a 5-megapixel camera with flash. Based on this video, the UI looks pretty slick, but we'll reserve our judgement until we see what actually using the thing is like.

YouTube via Gizmodo

Don't know about you, but most people I know have one corner of their desk that is an embarrassing jumble of cables, wall-warts, plugs, electronics, adapters and who knows what else. Or worse, when you need to charge something up, you have to spend an hour rooting through a junk drawer trying to find the right charger.

The Messless Charger is a classy charger dock with slots for four devices, and it comes with six adapters to fit most common devices, including Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones, iPod, Mini USB, PSP and more.

Not only will it keep the mess at bay, it's also a great way to elevate your favorite gear above the fray on your desk. It's a bit pricey at $112, but it sure beats spending hours every day untangling all your charging cables.

Keep reading to see a video and more pics of how this simple dock works.

Until our holographic displays live up to the crystal clear, hyper-realistic quality of sci-fi movies, we can enjoy life-like displays like the one shown recently at the International Stationery and Office Products Fair in Japan. Presented by Epson, the rear projector beams a video presentation onto a 0.3 millimeter thin slab of glass cut into the shape of a person.

The result is an effect that almost matches the virtual reality of holographic displays, missing only the three-dimensional aspect. You can check out video of the amazing display in action here.

Via Impress Watch

Enjoying the comforts of home when you hit the road is a whole lot easier when you're packing an iPod 3GS. Equipped with the best music player in the world, easy e-mail, constant connectivity, and spiffy good looks make it a great travel companion. To do justice to this power-hungry, easily scratched, way-too-delicate, yet versatile iPhone 3GS, you'll need only the best road-tested accessories.

I've been toting an iPhone since its inception, constantly challenging it on the road, and refining its accessory kit as the choices have grown way beyond the manageable level. Two years later, I've narrowed it down to seven essentials that I've personally put through the crucible of various aircraft and their associated airports, multi-thousand-mile road trips, cross-country train travel, and even a boat or two. Here's the hard-won, battle-hardened list.

New owners of the iPhone 3GS have yet another reason to make iPhone 3G users green with envy with the introduction of the app called Nearest Tube. The makers of the app (acrossair of the UK) call it an "augmented reality" tool for your iPhone, which is a pretty accurate description.

Using the iPhone 3GS, users living in London can turn on the video function, and instantly view live map indicators of where the nearest tube (or subway) station is. When held flat the screen displays the train lines underground, and when held vertically you are presented with actual signposts (Google streetview style) showing nearby train stations. You can see video of the augmented reality app in all its glory here.

Via acrossair

Most newiPod docks are met with stifled yawns here at Dvice, but this creation from Korean designer Sang-hoon Lee is far cooler than most. Lee has developed four modules that you can stack in any combination depending on what you want to do. In addition to the basic dock and speaker modules, there's a light module that could be good for a bedside stack, and an air cleaner to keep your room fresh and clean.

What's cool is that you can add multiples of the various modules, so headbangers can pump up the sound with two or more speakers, while smokers or those of us with smelly friends might add an extra air cleaner or two.

Hopefully a manufacturer will pick up Lee's design soon.

Yanko Design

It doesn't come with any instructions on how to build one yourself, but here's a video that shows you what goes into building an F/A-18 Super Hornet (which I supposed means it's either an F/A-18E or F/A-18F) from start to finish.

This particular one appears to be built for the the Royal Australian Air Force to replace their old F-111s. Super Hornets are an updated version of Boeing's popular F/A-18 Hornet, and they are carrier-launched craft equipped with 20 mm guns and a mix of air-to-air or air-to-ground ordinance.

Check out the video above.

Via Geekologie