Crave

What could make an awesome $35 bare-bones Linux system even more awesome? Sending it on an excellent, solar-powered trans-Atlantic journey, of course!

The FishPi project is one man's dream to use the Raspberry Pi microsystem to pilot a tiny craft across the ocean.

The idea is not just to redefine the term "budget cruise," but to prove that the inexpensive system can successfully guide and control a trans-oceanic vessel. The visionary behind the project, Greg Holloway, is currently working on a proof-of-concept vehicle for the project -- dubbed Fish Pi. Here's how he describes the plan on the project site:

I can't wait for the era of self-driving cars. I can't believe it's 2012 and we still have to turn a steering wheel and push pedals to get around while we could be doing better things like sleeping, reading, or actually watching the scenery roll by instead of the road.

The Japanese government has started talks on the goal of getting self-driving cars on public roads by the early 2020s.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism has said it's the first in the world to seriously consider robot cars for the masses, according to Nikkei Automotive News.

Too busy airbrushing photos of your cat this week to keep up with Crave? Put down Fluffy's feline glamour shots for a moment and catch up on what you missed.

• Google's Nexus tablet arrived -- and promptly showed up on eBay.

• Lego and Google Maps: Need we say more?

• For traveling troubadours, the folding Voyage-Air Guitar.

• Shocking! Anklet lets you harness static electricity through your fingertips.

Summer is here in the northern hemisphere and many probably already have their vacation plans set for a short getaway to enjoy the weather. But if you haven't made any plans yet, I've gathered up some highly rated apps to help you get out of town.

This week's collection of apps will help you plan the perfect trip. The first is a popular app that checks for the best flights to your chosen destination and looks for the best deals. The second will help you find the best food in your location once you get there. The third is a mapping and guide app that lets you download the information so you'll never get lost -- even when you have no connection on your iPhone.more

There is a battle going on for control of your living room, and while there are many combatants there's yet to be a clear victor. Thanks to a handful of so-called set-top boxes, Internet-delivered video and audio are becoming a big source -- if not the main source -- of TV entertainment for a growing number of people.

Nearly all Blu-ray players and game consoles (not to mention TVs themselves) now double as Web-centric entertainment devices. In the market for "pure" streaming boxes, two products have dominated to date: the Apple TV ($100) and the Roku box ($50 to $100, depending on features). Now a new player has thrown its hat into the ring, as Google has finally released its first living-room "AV system," the Nexus Q.

But at $300, the Google Nexus Q is expensive, far more expensive than its Apple and Roku competitors. Does the Nexus Q deliver something more for that hefty price? And which of these should you be spending your money on? Let's take a look at each.more

Photographers often point their cameras at flowers. If they take pictures of Brazilian artist Andre Feliciano's gardens, things are bound to get a bit meta. Feliciano constructs whimsical landscapes out of tiny plastic shooters.

Click on the gallery below to tiptoe through Feliciano's tulips -- and roses, azaleas, delphinium, and other plastic-camera flora on display through July 1 at the new Photoville photo festival in Brooklyn, N.Y. Cool, and colorful, stuff...

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Durex Facebook app pairs couples with just the right song...The 404 recommends "True" by Spandau Ballet.

- Do yourself a favor and download Google Chrome for iOS right this second.

- SWAT team throws flashbangs, raids wrong home due to open WiFi network.

- Here's the Braun tape recorder that inspired Apple's new podcast app.

- Don't forget to set your clocks a second faster this weekend.

- Meet up with The 404 at Comic Con 2012 for happy hour (5PM) on Saturday, July 14th! It's at Lou & Mickey's more

How do you go down a flight of stairs on a skateboard? Those with sufficient skill can usually grind down the supporting handrail like a champ, for one, while people such as myself tumble down wildly hoping not to break any bones.

Designer Po-Chih Lai's Stair Rover could alter the way skateboarders tackle the stair challenge.

Lai, a recent graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, also refers to his creation as a stairboard. The device lets the user ride down stairs by tapping the unique balancing act found in the eight wheels and specifically designed set of aluminum Y-frames at each end of the board.

It took a while, but Motorola has finally bestowed the gift of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upon its legendary Droid Razr Maxx. Sure it may not be Jelly Bean, but this fresh infusion of software breathes new life into an already superb smartphone.