While I'm not sure that Slash remains relevant in today's music scene, there's no question he stands as an easily-recognizable figure among a mass of guitar-toting heroes from the glory days of poodle hair and spandex. There's something about that image of the guy with a funny-looking top hat, leather jeans, curly hair covering his face and a classic '58 Les Paul that managed to entrench itself among the mass consciousness. In honor of the man, Gibson has announced the new Slash Appetite For Destruction Les Paul, a classically-styled six-string that follows all the intricacies of Slash's favorite instrument.

Scheduled for release to coincide with the 44-year old's first solo album due this year, the limited-edition guitar is based on the same axe that Slash wielded in the record that introduced him to the world: Guns N' Roses' multi-platinum selling “Appetite for Destruction.” No, it can't endow you with magical fretboard skills, but it's guaranteed to let you replicate the same tonal qualities that Slash brings to all of his performances.

The Slash Appetite For Destruction comes equipped with classic hardware from original Les Paul standards produced between 1958 and 1960, with added modifications as requested by the iconic guitarist himself. Paired with a costume, you can literally pretend to be Slash while hauling this around, with its traditional weight-relieved mahogany body, AAA Figured maple top, rosewood fingerboard, custom quarter-sawn mahogany neck profile (rounded 60s shape) and a nitrocellulose lacquer finish to mimic a beautifully-faded vintage look. Features include a set of Seymour Duncan SS Alnico II Pro Slash humbucking pickups, Switchcraft selector switch, Kluson-style tuners and TonePros Tune-o-matic bridge.

Wearing poodle hairdo and leather pants may no longer be a good idea, but rocking with the same awesome guitar as Slash will always be in fashion. You can score a Slash Appetite For Destruction Les Paul beginning April for $4,728. It's a limited edition, so you'll be smart to reserve one.

[Gibson]

How do you play games without a console? Well you don't. In the case of these NES Harmonicas currently selling on eBay, you actually play the cartridge itself.

Yep, it's harmonica hardware crammed into a gutted-out NES cartridge. It's supposed to play just like a regular free-reed instrument, except you're blowing down the butt of a broken game instead of a slab of rectangular plastic or steel. The mod is also nothing new, with the original tutorial for putting a "Harmonesica" together (and whoever made the ones on auction followed it to the letter) published by Monthenorium way back in 2008.

The three functional instruments being auctioned on eBay, however, are all pre-assembled for your convenience. All you have to do is blow your cheeks out and carry a tune (easier said than done, of course, if you're terrible at music). Three NES Harmonica cartridges are available for bidding individually, namely Super Mario Bros. 3, a Gold Edition Legend of Zelda and Dick Tracy. Each one is fitted with a Hohner Pocket Pal harmonica, an instruction sheet for playing the harp and the actual game PCB removed from the cartridge (which is, theoretically, playable).

Sure, it's neither an original mod nor an awesome instrument (a $10 Pocket Pal probably sucks), but imagine how priceless the image of you playing Kei$ha's Tik Tok on a gold Legend of Zelda cartridge will be. The bids are still low and I doubt it's going to up too much, since it's a largely easy mod. Might be nice to score one without having to do all the work.

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Run for your life, there's a giant spider on the table. Oh wait! We are geeks. Change in plans, quickly put your hand near it and let it bite you - then you will turn into Spiderman. Oh wait, it's only got four legs and it's actually a PC case. Damn you, Lian Li, damn you.

That's only one of the many possible fun scenarios you'll encounter with Taiwanese company Lian Li's PC-T1R chassis, a PC case designed to look like a giant spider on your desktop. Why would they do that? I don't know. You have to admit, it kinda looks awesome, right?

Looking more like a small form-factor robot than a computer chassis (or a spider, as Lian Li claims, for that matter), the PC-T1R is a clever little creation that showed up last week at the CeBIT trade show in Germany. We're not sure which part's supposed to be the head and which one's supposed to be the rear, but they put both the compact mATX motherboard and the power supply on either end of the frame. They didn't throw in hard drives during the exhibit, though, so I'm assuming you can put one on the body and another on a slot right under the board.

Why bother with kitschy stuff on your workdesk when your desktop PC can be a bundle of strange all on its own? That's right, you got no excuse. Seriously, someone should mod this to make it walk - it's gonna be awesome. Who needs a laptop when your desktop can follow you around to the local Starbucks? Just carry an LCD on your backpack and you'll be good to go.

No planned release date yet, but pricing for the Lian Li PC-T1R is being pegged at €150 (around $205).  Yep, that's just for the case alone (maybe with the power supply bundled - if you're lucky).

[via Fudzilla]

Can't last a day without your favorite bicycle? Now you can take it with you everywhere on the Biknd Helium, a compact bicycle case that lets you haul your road companion while keeping it fully protected.

The bag can carry a wide range of two-wheeled pedal pushers, including road bikes with a 64cm frame and full-suspension mountain bikes. Developed with the input of pro cyclists who frequently board public transportation with their equipment in tow, it not only fits your whole bike (disassembled of course), but lets you throw in two reserve wheelsets and a whole slew of accessories too (helmets, pump, spare tubes and more).

Boasting a unique design, the Biknd Helium opens a full 360 degrees (flat on the floor), making packing individual parts easy. Even better, it protects your frame from any type of damage during travel with a set of inflatable partitions on either side hugging it and a specially-designed anchoring system for the wheels. Just use the integrated foot pump once everything is packed (to blow up the air compartments) and your too-expensive-for-comfort ride is secured.

Sure, having to pack a bike like a suitcase isn't as convenient as just mounting it on a car. If you're traveling on buses, trains and airplanes like the pros do, however, this will ensure your bike gets to your destination exactly the same way you packed it - with nary a scratch on it. The bag itself weighs about 19.8 lbs, which is lighter than most current cases used for transporting similarly-sized mountain bikes.

The Biknd Helium is priced at $599, which isn't much when you consider the cost of the high-performance, competition-grade road and mountain bikes that it's protecting. Biknd notes that the current bag can't carry an integrated seat post, but one built specifically to do that is coming later in the year.

[Biknd via Red Ferret]

First published in 1916, Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity remains a groundbreaking landmark in modern Physics. Now, the original manuscript detailing the famed scientist's explanation of the subject has gone on display in its entirety for the very first time.

While the manuscript has been shown to the public before, it was always in the form of isolated pages, highlighting one or more of the aspects of the general theory. According to organizers, they wanted to exhibit something unique to commemorate the 50th year celebration of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Jerusalem and decided that showcasing the pivotal work of one of all time's most influential scientists was the perfect way to do it.

The 46-page handwritten work details Einstein's ideas about his theory, including the now iconic E=MC² equation. On it, he explains and illustrates the wide range of details that his findings cover, including black holes, gravity's effects on time and space, and his concept of an expanding universe. It comes complete with writing errors, corrections and amendments, all things we'd likely never see in science manuscripts written today.

Jerusalem's Hebrew University, which Einstein co-founded, owns the rights to the manuscript and are lending it to the university for the duration of the celebration. They originally came in possession of it in 1925, donated by Einstein himself, four years after he won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

The manuscript will be on display until March 25, so better hurry if you wish to catch it. Unfortunately, I won't be there to crack some old school Physics jokes with you. Why?  Because Israel's too far, I can't understand German (in which the manuscript is written) and studying Physics is like taking hospital-grade sleeping pills for me - I get discombobulated inside five minutes.

[BFHU via Daily Mail]

It's official. You can't lock robots inside the house anymore. A new robot arm from Japanese manufacturer BL Autotec should be able to reach out for the doorknob and open the door when attached to an emergency droid, clearing the way for the rest of their robot cavalry to escape.

Yep, the damn golems don't have to fire steel-melting lasers or launch obstacle-blasting missiles anymore. All the limbed robot has to do is wield its mechanical arm, give the doorknob a tight grip and turn its claw to loosen the bolt. Even scarier, the mobility robot they designed to take the arm can strap around people's shoulders like a backpack, allowing it to ride you like its own personal beast of burden. Yikes.

Autotec's robot arm features four shafts that let it stretch to a full meter long and a specially-shaped claw for managing all that door-opening action. The hand comes with a built-in CCD camera and LED light, allowing its operators to see what's going even while in the dark. Its counterpart body is a small form-factor automaton with tank treads for mobility. Both components can be controlled from a single source and are designed for portable handling (the arm can be folded, while the 75-lb robot can be hoisted on a very strong rescue worker's back).

What is it good for? If you're a germophobe, you can take it during road trips and have it open the doors on icky public bathrooms for you. In case that doesn't sound important enough, it's actually being marketed as a robot for crisis situations (you know, like nuclear, chemical and biological disasters), useful for surveying closed areas where regular, camera-armed mobility robots might not be able to enter.

According to Autotec, they're planning to sell complete sets consisting of the hand and the treaded robot beginning 2013. Pricing is being pegged at $110,000.

[Autotec via Crunchgear]

Though you'll never be a celebrity, there's nothing stopping you from trying to look like one. You've already copied Sandra Bullock's hair, eyebrows and lipstick, but wisely kept your own cleavage (good thinking btw). So, why not don her showstopping dress from the Oscars too?

But...but...you can't afford that Marchesa, I know. That's why I'm sending you over to Chinese warehouse wholesaler Light In The Box, who already have a page up selling replicas of dresses worn by the stars during the Academy Awards.

You thought they only cloned iPhones, PSPs and Buell shirts in Shenzhen? Please. They clone everything in China. Heck, they'd probably clone Sandra Bullock herself if they had a factory equipped to do it. And I'd buy one too if they agree to make sure Jesse James doesn't know about it. Man Jesse James definitely is one cool dude. All those cool motorcycles and cars and now Sandra as a loving wife.

The page lists a slew of Oscar dresses they can produce, which include a whole range from Mariah Carey's A-line off-the-shoulder blue dress to Faith Hill's strapless sweep to Miley Cyrus' floor-length sweetheart tulle. All dresses are tailored upon order and are claimed to look exactly like the red carpet originals. Turnaround time is 10 to 15 days, with the dresses available in varying standard sizes. You're allowed to send in your own measurements too.

So, which dresses did you like at the Academy Awards? Charlize Theron's Christian Dior? Penelope Cruz's Donna Karan? Sarah Jessica Parker's Chanel? Whichever struck your fancy, you should be able to get a replica for a literal fraction of the price, as the cost on the page ranges from as low as $109.99 to just a shade under $500. Of course, we can't account for how good the dresses will actually be, so consider it an adventure in fashion.

[via Red Ferret]

Flavored vodka has never been my thing, but I've always said I'll make an exception for one that tastes like roasted pig. The Bakon Vodka isn't exactly luau fare, but I'm tempted to grab a bite. I mean a swig.

Need an excuse to drink in the morning? Uhh, I guess this will do. Dispensing of all that fruity-flavored mixes we usually find for the popular distilled liquor, this one's laced with the meaty, savory and cholesterol-imbalancing taste of bacon. You can drop some on your salad in place of bacon bits, swig it with your toast or pour some right next to your fried eggs to start you off on the right foot.

The Bakon Vodka is made from fermented potatoes grown in Idaho and bequeathed with a wonderful, peppery bacon flavor. Its distillers take special pains to let you know it's a "super-quality" potato vodka that is smooth and sightly sweet, with no burn or aftertaste.

Why can't you just put crispy bacon in a blender and lace your Absolut with it? You can probably do that too. And don't stop at bacon either. Throw in the cheese, half a pound of beef and buns with sesame seeds before cranking that 16-speed blender up. Make sure to drill it till the concoction is swimming in juices of fat before pouring a hint on your cocktail glass. Aaaahhh... bacon cheeseburger vodka.

You can grab a bottle of the Bakon Vodka for $30 a pop. Make sure to check out the website for cocktail recipes, in case our suggestion of using it to butter your toasts doesn't quite grab your tastebuds.

[Bakon Vodka via Uncrate]

Why buy a run-of-the-mill laptop bag when you can buy one that prepares you for a potential career? That's exactly what you get with the PPC Cement Laptop Bag, a full-featured messenger bag made from unused cement sacks.

What kind of career, you ask? One in mixing cement, of course, as the bag features complete instructions printed all over it. Do you know, for instance, that to mix a low strength concentrate of the calcined limestone and clay, you need one wheelbarrow of cement, four of sand and stone, and 70 liters of water? If you buy this bag, you will, as the full chart detailing every combination appears just right under the flap.

Each PPC Cement Laptop Bag comes with two main compartments separated by a padded divider and two large pockets. Creator Wren Design says the main area can hold up to 15.5-inch notebooks, with one pocket being large enough to house all of its cables, and the other sized to fit an iPhone. Side and bottoms of the bag have been padded with foam to absorb regular bumps.

Of course, using paper sacks as laptop bags sounds like a terrible idea. That's why the PPC (short for South African company Pretoria Portland Cement) bags used as material have been duly strengthened. All layers have been bonded with calico to make them impervious to tearing, as well as infused with Scotch guard to make it water-resistant. The flap of each bag features the awesome-looking PPC logo, with an elephant's head and the words "Strength Guaranteed" across it, as well as two hidden magnets so it closes securely. Strap is made from organic hemp.

Those in search of either unique-looking messenger satchels or a career in construction can score a handmade PPC Cement Laptop Bag from Wren Design's Etsy store. Price is $82.

[Wren Design via Gadget Lab]

Here's a guaranteed way to get you flagged by airport security: bring along luggage disguised as jerrycans. Infuriating airport personnel is exactly what you'll do with the GasCase Diesel and GasCase Fuel, two trolley cases that epitomize "gas station chic."

Okay, I just made up that last phrase. Paired with a service shirt complete with a name patch, though, that's about the only way I can describe your blue collar fashion aesthetic.

Both bags are made from pickled sheet steel that's 0.9mm thick, with heavy-duty trolley wheels and an aluminum telescopic handle attached to them. Each case sports 47 x 35 x 16 cm dimensions, painted to a shine in one of seven colors and secured with a butterfly lock. The GasCase Diesel opens to the side with the bag splitting right in the middle like regular travel luggage, while the Fuel opens from the top like a box with a lid.

The pair is created by Frankfurt-based Ivorilla, who are selling them as durable alternatives to regular luggage. I'll say. Not only will they protect your precious electronics and undergarments from the hazards of the baggage compartment, they're guaranteed to scare off everyone in the vicinity too. Try walking with one of these in a mall with a dynamite candle strapped to it and time how fast you can send people into a panic. My guess? You won't get past a minute.

While we can't find the pricing on the product page, both the GasCase Diesel and GasCase Fuel are supposed to retail in Europe for €100 (approximately $137).

[GasCase Diesel /Fuel via Core 77]