I know that Darth Vader isn’t exactly the most generous person in the universe, so to see his character included in the Star Wars Nutcracker Set is definitely a hoot. He does have the ability to crush nuts (the edible ones as well as those from the family jewel variety), so I guess that makes him qualify to be part of the set.

These are the nutcrackers handcrafted from hardwood to depict the iconic characters from the Star Wars movies: Darth Vader, R2-D2, and Yoda. Darth Vader stands 10″ tall and is draped in a vinyl cape, capped by his signature black helmet. He holds his red lightsaber and is decorated with details including vinyl boots, his breathing apparatus, and chest control unit. R2-D2 stands 7″ tall displaying his handpainted circuitry; his anterior louvered vents conceal the “cracker.” Master Jedi Yoda stands 7 1/2″ tall with his walking stick and his humble burlap robe. Non-functional, they are for decorative purposes only.

In a fight between Star Wars characters and the Iron Lady, who do you think would win? The Star Wars Nutcracker Set will retail for $99.95.

Toshiba also does storage devices just in case you didn’t notice, and this time round they have rolled out the first 80GB SATA automotive-grade hard drive to keep company its existing line of ruggedized and temperature-enhanced storage solutions that are specially meant for in-car navigation and infotainment applications. This will be the seventh generation automotive-grade hard drive also known by its more obscure model number MK8057GSC. Toshiba also scores a first with its release, since it is the debut of a SATA interface storage device to complement their current line of PATA products that are available in 40GB, 60GB and 80GB capacities. With SATA interface, it is a snap to migrate to the latest automotive systems with its ability to reduce signal-line complexity, simultaneously supporting faster top-end data transfer rates versus Parallel-ATA (PATA) based HDDs.

ADLINK Technology is first off the blocks to release the first Extreme Rugged system in the world which is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor as well as a GME965 chipset. Better known as the Ampro ADLINK RuffSystem 840, inside you will find integrated components that are kept protected by the harsh external environments so that you will be able to get your work done even in the most uncomfortable of situations, including working near a volcano or in a harsh environment that requires you to sweat it out (or shiver, depending on which occupational role you’re currently playing).

I’m not really sure that this should be called a makeover, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll just call it that. This DIY job is for those that have far too many useless cassette tapes lying around. It’s understandable that some would, they were used for quite a few years, so it’d be easy to build up a large stash of them. So it’s established that there are probably quite a few people out there that could probably pull off a job like this. Especially considering it’s as simple as gluing a bunch of tapes to an already built wooden cabinet. What I question is whether or not it should be done.

As iPods grow increasingly popular, more and more accessories pop up. Many of the sleeker designs are far out of most people’s price ranges, but they are still fun to drool over. This one isn’t the most outrageously priced I’ve seen, but it’s still not the greatest either. Either way, it’s worth checking out. With the sleek tower it could easily get slipped into any style room. Yes, it will take up a little floor space, but tucked into a corner it’d hardly take up much room.