In an age where plastic (and aluminum) gadgets are bursting into flames left and right, we'd say it's about time some manufacturers looked into what CSIRO is cooking up. Scientists at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization have devised a plastic that morphs into a flame-denouncing "ceramic" structure when exposed to fire, and although the newly formed substance doesn't cool down the situation per se, it does provide a useful barrier to slow the spread of flames. The polymer transforms into a heat-restricting blockade when facing "temperatures as high as 700 degrees," but we're left to ponder what (presumably not-so-good) condition the hardened plastic would be in should things get any more heated. Considering that fires can ignite and get way out of hand relatively quickly, designers said this plastic reacts substantially quicker than humans can, and it could provide the extra time necessary to reach folks stranded in a high-rise blaze, for example. Potential applications for the two-timing plastic include oil rigs, cargo ships, aircrafts, offices, and other highly populated public buildings, but we're envisioning this going even further; it could presumably show up in flame-breathing robot protective gear or in the construction of electronics that run a bit toasty -- but who knows, maybe we're just blowing smoke.

The new Creative ZEN V Plus Multimedia player is a one stop solution to all your digital needs and takes multi-tasking to the next level. This ZEN V Plus is a MP3 Player, a Photo viewer, a Video player and even has a FM radio! Oh and if you are expecting some bulky device, boy are you wrong! This player adds a whole new meaning to compact and is available in capacities 1GB, 2GB and 4GB.

The Creative ZEN V Plus includes a vibrant full color 1.5" OLED display which has a 128 x 128 resolution. One good thing about this player is its ability support to music subscriptions like Yahoo! Music Unlimited, Urge, Napster To Go, and Rhapsody To Go. Many see this now as a prerequisite since many consumers feel limited and restricted! The player syncs with Microsoft Outlook and includes a built-in organizer with Calendar, Contacts and Tasks.

The Creative ZEN V Plus strives to make a style statement but that doesn’t mean it’s frivolous. Apart from supporting all sorts of audio and video formats, the player also includes a voice recorder and is equipped with 8 presets and custom EQ settings. It will be available by August and one has to shell out US $229.99 for the 4GB model in glossy black with blue accents, US $169.99 for the 2GB model in glossy black or white with green accents, and US $129.99 for the 1GB model in glossy black or white with orange accents
Capacity: 1GB/ 2GB/ 4GB
Song Capacity:
Black with orange accent 1GB
White with orange accent 1GB
500 WMAs/ 33hrs (64 kbps), 250 MP3/ 16hrs (at 128kbps)1

Black with green accent 2GB
White with green accent 2GB
1,000 WMAs/ 66hrs (64 kbps), 500 MP3/ 33hrs (at 128kbps)1

You wouldn't think it would have taken Cornice 8 months to announce a 2GB growth in their drives, but the portable drive manufacturer announced their first (but not the first) 12GB 1-inch Dragon series drive, due to ship to OEMs Q306 for $85 apiece. It'll still be a little while before you start seeing portables showing up with 12GBs of capacity (think about how few 10GB devices you see as is), but something tells us Cornice is really going to have to step up their game if they're going to outrun Samsung and their NAND flash production abilities.