DDR3 Memory: Not Ready for Prime Time

ExtremeTech reports: "DDR3 memory has arrived on the scene, but the move to DDR3 memory is looking a lot like the transition from DDR SDRAM to DDR2. What's happening is that newer memory trades off latency for bandwidth. ... The recent release of the Intel P35 and G35 chipsets is the beginning of the shift to DDR3, a new memory technology that builds on the foundation built by DDR2."

Do you want DDR3 memory, then you might want to check out this article before you buy it.

Glimpse of the Future (1994)

A view of the future of the Web, circa 1994 from DEC.

Core 2 Extreme QX6850: Intel Refines the High-end Processor

ExtremeTech reports: "Ever since launching its Core 2 microprocessors in July, 2006, the Santa Clara company has maintained a steady pace, with new Core 2 introductions occurring every few months. The quad-core QX6700 launched last November. Meanwhile, price drops have occurred on a regular basis as well."

Are you looking for information about the fastest processor available today for your PC. Here is an article about Intel's new Core 2 Extreme QX6850.

The World's Tiniest PCs

Wired reports: "PCs come in all shapes and sizes. The larger they are, the more performance they tend to offer, and that's the metric that drives a market still ruled by Moore's law and its myriad derivatives. There's a certain appeal to small systems, however -- especially if you go the DIY route, proving once again that even if small can't quite run World of Warcraft, it sure can be beautiful."

Some of these devices are really cool, but you have figure out what you're going to do with it.

Free Phone Calls Forever (Podcast)

A company called ooma is launching a new hardware-based VOIP device that plugs into your existing phone system and provides unlimited landline calling in the U.S. with no monthly fee. To learn more about this device listen to the following podcast between Jim Rapoza and Andrew Frame, CEO of ooma to get all the details. The ooma hub will cost about $400, and is suppose to be available in September.

The service also offers free unlimited voicemail, and has some other specialize features (more information is available in the podcast). There is support for international calling, but the rates are similar to Skype.

I am the very model of a Singularitarian

Charlie Kam has written and recorded a humorous Singularitarian version of Gilbert & Sullivan's "I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major General," from the Gilbert & Sullivan opera, "The Pirates of Penzance."

Here is Wikipedia's definition of Singularitarianism.

The Internet Is Broken

Breaking News: All data has been lost when the Internet went down. Officials confirm that all the online data has been lost and the government has forgotten to make a backup of it... Source: The Onion

Googling "how to crack a safe" nets robbers $12,000

Ars Technica reports: "Google has become so ubiquitous in many people's daily lives that it serves as the all-encompassing information source on how to do nearly anything: jump a car, tie a tie, fold a pocket square, remove ketchup stains. Oh, and crack open a safe to steal $12,000. That's what a couple of burglars did last month in Colorado, when they broke into an indoor amusement center called Bigg City armed with the knowledge they thought they needed in order to get into a couple of safes. The burglars knew the passcodes to the safes in question but were still unable to open them after several tries, so they eventually resorted to their good friend Google to tell them how."

It's amazing what people can now use Google for...

Will It Blend? The iPhone (now with iSmoke)

Everybody knows that the iPhone can make phone calls, play movies & music, surf the web, and a lot more. But, Will It Blend? That is the question.

You can also bid for the the blended iPhone on eBay.

Free Conference Calling Services

Are you looking for a free phone conference services? There are several providers out there providing the same basic services, but not all of them are created equal. Most of these services also have a 'catch' you need to be aware of.

First, all free conferencing providers don't offer toll-free dial-in numbers to access your conference. So you will be required to make a long distance call to use the service. Although if you have free long distance services on your phone this shouldn't be a problem.

Some of the free conferencing providers below have registration requirements and others don't to use their services. So you will have to find the service that you like the best.

Finally, below is the list of providers that you can use for having audio phone conferences with your family and friends.

• FreeConferenceCall.com: This free service requires you to register to receive an account. You will be provided with a dial-in number and access code for phone conferencing. Features: reservationless conferences, that can accommodate 96 callers, for up to 6 hours at a time.
  
• PowWowNow: This is another free conference calling service. All you have to do is to create a PIN (6 to 9 digits long) and share it will your friends and family. Then all they have to call the number provided on the site, enter the PIN to join the conference.
  
• FreeConference: Offers both reservations and reservationless conference calling. You do not have to set up a account or provide any information regarding your conference, everyone who calls the same Dial-in Number and enters the same Participant Access Code will be connected together.
  
• BV FreeConferencing: Free conference calling, after you register you will receive the dial-in information with your bridge number and moderator PIN. Then you can invite up to 250 attendees to join your conference call.
  

Note: This is not a complete list of free conferencing providers, if you do a search in your favorite search engine you can find more providers.

Nanotechnology Takes Off

From Lawrence Berkeley National Labs to Silicon Valley, researchers are manipulating particles at the atomic level, ushering in potential cures for cancer, clothes that don't stain, and solar panels as thick as a sheet of paper.

Videos: Easy Science Tricks

The following video include science tricks that you can do with your children. I tried to be very selective in finding ones that use household items and are relatively safe.

Although if these experiments are performed by children, there should be a responsible adult present to supervise. Finally, you do these experiments at your own risk.

Amazing Eggs And Science


Dozen Nails Trick


Water Defies Gravity


Chill A Coke In 2 Minutes


Simple Science

Requires: a bowl, milk, food coloring, q-tips and dish soap.

The Tonight Show: Anti-Helium

Sulfur hexafluoride gas is over five times denser than air, it can be poured into an open container and it won't escape. If breathed, the gas can also alter breather's voice by making it sound very deep due to the gas' density. Also light objects that contain air inside them can float on top of this gas.

Sony Cuts Price on PlayStation 3 by $100

PC Magazine reports: "Sony Corp. cut the price of the PlayStation 3 by $100, or 17 percent, in the United States on Monday ... The PlayStation 3, which includes a 60-gigabyte hard drive and a Blu-ray high-definition DVD player, will now cost $500, or $20 more than the most expensive version of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360."

This is good news for people who wanted to buy a PS3 but though it was too expensive. From a hardware perspective, the PS3 is a very impressive gaming console. Although it has been plagued with poor sales due to multiple factors.

"Mac or PC" Rap Music Video

Very nerdy, but funny...

Watch A Car Bent Like an Aluminum Can

Its pretty amazing to watch these two 50 ton manipulators rip a car apart, they bend it like it was an aluminum can. The white smoke coming from the car is probably hot coolant escaping as steam from the engine.

Google: Single-Word Translations

Google is now offering single-word translations services. You were able to have similar functionality using the existing interface. Although the new service offers more comprehensive information about the word you enter.

To use the service, goto the site, enter a word or phrase that you're looking for (such as "hello" or "good night"), and then select a language pair (i.e.: English to Italian, Italian to English, etc.). Here is an example.

The iPhone Disassembled

I am a person who likes to know how everything works. So when
iFixit (an Apple parts and upgrade site) disassembled their brand new Apple iPhone and posted pictures. I want to to see it and share it.

Microsoft Touts Supercomputing for the Masses

eWeek reports: "At the International Supercomputing Conference in Dresden this week, Microsoft—a tiny player in the $10 billion market—campaigned to bring high-performance computing (HPC) to the mainstream."

Steven Levy Mugged for his iPhone Live on TV

I just found this. Here is a video of someone trying to take Steven Levy (a technology columnist for Newsweek) iPhone as he is being interviewed on live TV today.

Weekend Update iPhone Special (SNL)

In honor of all the hype that surrounds the release of the iPhone today. I am posting the following SNL video of the (fake) Steve Jobs showing up on Weekend Update to describe the iPhone.



To all those that waited in line to be the first to have this device, I really hope that you enjoy your gadget that you worked so hard to get.

Will science render men unnecessary?

MSNBC reports: "recently a team of scientists announced they had made artificial sperm from human bone marrow, and media reports abounded with the dire news that my goodfellas (and by extension, me) had been rendered unnecessary."

Good news men, we are not obsolete yet...

Article: Testing Out the iPhone - The Mossberg Solution

WSJ.com reports: "One of the most important trends in personal technology over the past few years has been the evolution of the humble cellphone into a true handheld computer, a device able to replicate many of the key functions of a laptop. But most of these "smart phones" have had lousy software, confusing user interfaces and clumsy music, video and photo playback. And their designers have struggled to balance screen size, keyboard usability and battery life."



This is the best information that I found on the iPhone so far. It also is the most balance opinion on the product that is not just full of hype or criticism. Read the article for all the details.

Article: New IBM supercomputer achieves petaflop

CNET News.com reports: "IBM has devised a new Blue Gene supercomputer--the Blue Gene/P--that will be capable of processing more than 3 quadrillion operations a second, or 3 petaflops, a possible record. Blue Gene/P is designed to continuously operate at more than 1 petaflop in real-world situations."

Wow, 3 quadrillion operations a second. That is truly amazing.

Article: Apple, AT&T Announce iPhone Service Plans

PC Magazine reports: "The iPhone will be available in a 4GB model for $499 and an 8GB model for $599. The data plans will be priced at $59.99 for 450 minutes, $79.99 for 900 minutes, and $99.99 for 1,350 minutes, AT&T said. An activation fee of $36 will also be charged"

Only three more days until you can start buying an iPhone. I really hope that they're worth the money. Although, we will soon find out.

Charge multiple mobile devices simultaneously with a single power cord

Chargepod is a 6-way charging device that allows you to charge multiple cell phones, PDAs, headsets, and most other mobile electronics with a single power cord. Just pick out the manufacturer-specific adapters for your devices and throw away the dozens of power cords and wall warts that are cluttering your office and home. Chargepod uses voltage regulator technology and interchangeable power adapters to safely charge all of your mobile devices regardless of manufacturer or model.

For more information check out the following web site.

Article: Portable power from trash

CNET News.com reports: "A company called AgriPower will begin production next year of a movable power generator fueled by a wide range of waste products, from walnut shells to discarded tires."

This technology would be better if they could generate the power without creating emissions.

Autocar - Supercar Group Test

A bunch of super cars compared: Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Audi R8, Porsche 911 GT3 RS and Aston Martin DB9. Who will win?

Article: I'll give up money, sex ... but not the mobile

Yahoo! News reports: "Young Britons would rather give up sex than live without their mobile phones, according to a survey. .. One in three people would not sacrifice their mobile phone for one million pounds or more"

Several years ago I gave up my land line (POTS or Plain Old Telephone Service) and I use my mobile phone exclusively. I know I am not the first or the last do this, but I don't love my mobile phone as much as these people in this article.

Article: Digital Da Vinci Codes: Thousands of Leonardo's Papers Go Online

Wired reports: "The tiny brick library in Leonardo Da Vinci's hometown is putting 3,000 pages of the genius' work online in a high-resolution, searchable archive. ... The Leonardian Library in Vinci, Tuscany, is making the Madrid Codices and the Codex Atlanticus -- two collections of scientific and technical drawings -- available as a free digital archive called e-Leo."

Proposed Amendment Would Ban All DVD Copying - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

PC Magazine reports: "A proposed amendment to the current copy protection license governing DVDs would completely ban all DVD backups, and prevent DVD playback without the DVD disk being present inside the drive."

I have always said that I believe in a companies right to protect its intellectual property. But I believe in the consumer's right to make 'personal use' backups of media that they have legally purchased.

Article: Is Open Source Dying?

eWeek reports: The Free Software Foundation and Linux continue to engage in a pissing match over some of the terms of GPLv3, making the open-source community seem, once again, like splinter groups of some radical political organization more interested in winning arcane theological disputes than actually taking power."

I personally don't want to see the demise of open source, but there are a lot problems and most of them have existed for years.

Videos: The Future of Media

"It is the best of times, it is the worst of times."

About two years ago, I saw a video called 'Epic 2014', it talked about the 'Evolving Personalized Information Construct'. At the time it was a very powerful video, it also made some wild predictions about what the 'media scape' might look like (such as Googlezon [Google/Amazon merged]).

Below is the updated sequel to the original video, with a slightly different prediction of the future.



Like the previous video, this one contains some imaginative guesses at what the Web and media could look like in the next 40-50 years. According to the predictions from the video Google will buy Microsoft, Amazon will buy Yahoo, and Second Life becomes the dominant virtual world.

Photos: The gadget days of summer

ZDNet has created a very interesting photo gallery of cool gadgets of summer. You will see things like the Auto Mower from Husqvarna, or the Solaire line of infrared grills from Rasmussen. There's also UVB detecting stickers for you toddler, 75-Mile Range Thunderstorm Detector, and more.

Article: GDrive “Platypus” still in development

ZDNet.com reports: "Do you remember GDrive (also known as Platypus)? Well it looks like it’s in development and still being used internally at Google. How do I know? Wakoopa says so. “Scoops” noticed several Google employees have the Wakoopa application tracker installed on their machines — giving us a window into what their computers run from day to day. I have verified the users listed on this page either currently work for Google or have at some point in the past."

I have not seen a lot of information on the GDrive (Google's on-line storage service) in a long time but here is one update that I found.

Videos: Easy Science Experiments

Below are some great science experiments that you can do with your kids, using stuff that you can find around the home. Marshall Brain (web site) created these and posted them on the web for your viewing pleasure.

What do yeast like to eat?


Electromagnets


Make Your Own Ice Cream


Insulation


How much sugar is in a can of soda

Article: FBI tries to fight zombie hordes

BBC reports: "The FBI is contacting more than one million PC owners who have had their computers hijacked by cyber criminals. ... The initiative is part of an ongoing project to thwart the use of hijacked home computers, or zombies, as launch platforms for hi-tech crimes. "

I applaud the FBI for taking this action, and having the foresight to realize that it can also be exploited by fraudsters to steal your personal information. Here is a excerpt from the FBI press release on how they will handle the situation: "The FBI will not contact you online and request your personal information so be wary of fraud schemes that request this type of information, especially via unsolicited emails. To report fraudulent activity or financial scams, contact the nearest FBI office or police department, and file a complaint online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov.

If you want more information about Botnets here is article from Wikipedia about it.

Video: Best Space Battles (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and More)

What happens if Battlestar Galactica went against an Imperial Cruiser (Star Wars)? Or how about Battlestar Galactica vs Imperial Cruisers vs. ships from the Star Trek and Babylon 5 universe? Its computer graphic madness...

Battlestar Galactica Vs Star Wars



Battlestar Galactica Vs Star Wars Vs Star Trek Vs Babylon 5


As a bonus, I have included some other funny Star Wars based videos...

Star Wars Orchestra


Monty Python - Black Knight Skit (Star Wars Parody)

Video: What is Your Day Job? (San Diego Comic Con)

Big Time Attic journeys through the San Diego Comic Con, boldly asking costumed heroes about their day jobs. Includes annual con favorites like Black Superman, Drag Queen Supergirl, Elvis Trooper and Monkey Woman from "Who Wants To Be A Superhero"

Video: The New Shining Trailer

What if the movie 'The Shining' was a lighthearted drama. Here is a trailer to show you what it would look like.

A T-REX For Your Home or Office

Triebold Paleontology, Inc. offers "The famous 'Peck's Rex' Tyrannosaurus rex is now available to amaze your visitors! At 42 feet in length and 13 feet in height at the hips, Peck's Rex is the second largest T. rex in existence." You can own one for only (US)$95,000.

Article: Intel readies massive multicore processors

News.com reports: "Last year, Intel showed off a prototype chip with 80 computing cores. While the semiconductor world took note of the achievement, the practical questions immediately arose: Will the company come out with a multicore chip with x86 cores? (The prototype doesn't have them.) Will these chips run existing software and operating systems? How do you solve data traffic, heat and latency problems?"

First we had dual core CPUs, now we have quad core CPUs. Intel has a processor with 80 cores. My questions is when will we have enough logical cores on a single physical processor?

Article: Google's Advertising Footprint

Want to know how much of the advertising market in different categories Google controls? Check out this article.

Article: How a Motherboard is Made

ExtremeTech reports: "About ten years ago, I was given a tour of a Visioneer scanner factory in San Jose. Even though I knew that only global companies like Toyota could essentially afford to build a car through an almost entirely automated process, I was nevertheless amazed at how many people were required to actually assemble a scanner. And I'm not talking about management, but hands-on 'put this widget there' assembly. ... What's interesting is that in a decade, how little has changed."

Favorite Sign...

This has to be one of the best signs available.

Video: Will Dogs Take Over the World?

Video: Sony's Flexible OLED

Sony presented their new OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) display which is only 0.3mm thick and is flexible. You can see how the man presenting it is bending it and how the movie is still visible and still played.

You can really appreciate the potential (i.e.: low power requirements, no back lights, etc.) of OLED display after watching this video. This technology has a million applications, from super-thin TV, to laptops, to other portable devices.

Video: Top Gear - Richard Hammond's Car Accident

If you're a Top Gear fan, you might want to check out Richard Hammond's car accident. If you don't know what Top Gear, it worth checking out this video. Basically Richard is driving a jet powered car with 5,000-10,000 horse power, then guess what happens.

I am not going to ruin the video for you.

Video: History of Video Games (Extended Edition)

Extended Edition of a video called "History of Video Games 1972-2007".

List of games (* = newly added):

• 1972 Pong (Atari, Arcade)
• 1980 Space Invaders (Atari, Atari 2600)
• 1980 Defender (Williams, Arcade)
• 1980 Adventure (Atari, Atari 2600)*
• 1981 Pac-Man (Namco, Arcade)
• 1981 Ultima (California Pacific, Apple II)
• 1981 Frogger (Konami, Atari 2600)
• 1982 Pitfall (Atari, Atari 2600)
• 1983 Centipede (Atari, Atari 2600)*
• 1983 Pole Position (Atari, Atari 2600)*
• 1983 Microsoft Flight Simulator (Microsoft, PC)*
• 1984 Donkey Kong (Nintendo, NES)
• 1984 King's Quest (Sierra, PC)
• 1985 Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, NES)
• 1985 Duck Hunt (Nintendo, NES)
• 1986 Bubble Bobble (Taito, Arcade)
• 1986 The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo, NES)*
• 1986 Space Quest (Sierra, PC)*
• 1986 Metroid (Nintendo, NES)*
• 1987 Leisure Suit Larry (Sierra, PC)
• 1987 Final Fantasy (Nintendo, NES)
• 1987 Afterburner (Sega, Arcade)
• 1987 Castlevania (Konami, NES)*
• 1987 Maniac Mansion (LucasArts, PC)*
• 1987 Mega Man (Capcom, NES)*
• 1988 Double Dragon (Tradewest, NES)
• 1988 Battle Chess (Interplay, PC)
• 1989 Prince of Persia (Broderbund, PC)
• 1989 Tetris (Nintendo, Nintendo Gameboy)
• 1989 SimCity (Maxis, PC)
• 1989 Golden Axe (Sega, Arcade)
• 1990 Commander Keen (ID Software, PC)
• 1990 Secret of Monkey Island (LucasArts, PC)
• 1991 Civilization (Microprose, PC)*
• 1991 Micro Machines (NES, Codemasters)*
• 1991 Lemmings (Psygnosis, PC)
• 1991 Out of this World (Delphine Software, PC)*
• 1991 Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega, Sega Genesis)
• 1991 Zelda: A Link to the Past (Nintendo, SNES)
• 1992 Sensible Soccer (Sensible Software, PC)*
• 1992 Dune II (Westwood Studios, PC)*
• 1992 Wolfenstein 3D (ID Software, PC)
• 1992 Flashback (Delphine Software, PC)*
• 1992 Indiana Jones & the Fate of Atlantis (LucasArts, PC)
• 1992 Super Mario Kart (Nintendo, SNES)
• 1992 Alone in the Dark (Infogrames, PC)*
• 1992 Street Fighter II (Capcom, SNES)
• 1992 Mortal Kombat (Midway, Sega Genesis)
• 1992 Minesweeper (Windows Desktop Game)
• 1993 Sam & Max Hit the Road (LucasArts, PC)
• 1993 Doom (ID Software, PC)
• 1993 Myst (Broderbund, PC)
• 1993 FIFA Soccer '94 (Electronic Arts, Sega Genesis)
• 1993 SimCity 2000 (Maxis, PC)*
• 1994 The Settlers (Blue Byte Software, PC)*
• 1994 Earthworm Jim (Shiny Entertainment, Sega Genesis)
• 1994 Need for Speed (Electronic Arts, 3DO)
• 1994 Donkey Kong Country (Nintendo, SNES)*
• 1994 Worms (Ocean, PC)*
• 1995 Command & Conquer (Westwood Studios, PC)
• 1995 Rayman (Ubisoft, Atari Jaguar)
• 1995 Daytona USA (Sega, Sega Saturn)*
• 1995 Virtua Fighter (Sega, Sega Saturn)
• 1995 Ridge Racer (Namco, Playstation)*
• 1995 Tekken (Namco, Sony Playstation)
• 1996 Tomb Raider (Eidos Interactive, Sony Playstation)
• 1996 Quake (ID Software, PC)
• 1996 Super Mario 64 (Nintendo, Nintendo 64)
• 1996 Resident Evil (Capcom, Playstation)*
• 1996 Dead or Alive (Tecmo, Arcade)*
• 1997 Ultima Online (Origin, PC)*
• 1997 Age of Empires (Microsoft, PC)*
• 1998 Unreal (Epic Games, PC)*
• 1998 Half-Life (Sierra, PC)*
• 1998 Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, Nintendo 64)*
• 2000 The Sims (Maxis, PC)
• 2000 Crazy Taxi (Sega, Sega Dreamcast)*
• 2001 Halo (Bungie Studios, Xbox)
• 2001 Grand Theft Auto III (Rockstar Games, Playstation 2)
• 2002 WarCraft III (Blizzard, PC)*
• 2003 Call of Duty (Activision, PC)*
• 2004 Wario Ware Inc. (Nintendo, Nintendo Gamecube)*
• 2004 Rome Total War (Sega, PC)
• 2005 World of Warcraft (Blizzard, PC)
• 2005 God of War (SCEA, Playstation)*
• 2005 Guitar Hero (Red Octane, Playstation 2)*
• 2006 Final Fantasy XII (Square Enix, Playstation 2)
• 2006 FIFA Soccer '07 (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360)
• 2007 Gears of War (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
• 2006 Wii Sports (Nintendo, Nintendo Wii)
• 2006 Viva Pinata (Microsoft, Xbox 360)*
• 2007 MotorStorm (Sony, Sony Playstation 3)

Video: Steam Trek: The Moving Picture (Star Trek Parody)

From YouTube: "In Space, no-one can hear you!" Classic sci-fi as it might have been done 100 years ago by George Melies. (This version cut to fit YouTube restrictions - full version is on my website at www.sisterson.co.uk.)

Video: Photosynth (Amazing technology)

From the site: "Using photos of oft-snapped subjects (like Notre Dame) scraped from around the Web, Photosynth creates breathtaking multidimensional spaces with zoom and navigation features that outstrip all expectation. Its architect, Blaise Aguera y Arcas, shows it off in this standing-ovation demo. "

Want to try out Photosynch for yourself, go to: http://labs.live.com/photosynth

Article: If It's Not Tennis Elbow, It May Be "Wiiitis"

PC Magazine reports: "When Dr. Julio Bonis awoke one Sunday morning with a sore shoulder, he could not figure out what he had done. It felt like a sports injury, but he had been a bit of a couch potato lately.
... Then he remembered his new Wii."

First they diagnosed 'Space Invaders wrist' in 1981. Then in 1990 they called 'Nintendinitis', which is exactly like 'Space Invaders wrist' with a different name. Both of these aliments describe a sharp cramp that is caused by playing video games for too long.

Now in 2007 we have 'Wiiitis', which is just another name for sore muscles caused by actually doing something with your body rather then sitting... :-)

Soviet-Era Arcade Games Crawl Out of Their Cold War Graves

Wired reports: "If American teenagers during the Cold War ever stopped to consider how their Eastern bloc counterparts spent the weekend, they probably imagined dreary groups of Red Youth robotically singing hymns to Soviet wheat production and discussing the glories of socialist brotherhood from Hanoi to Havana."

Its interesting to see some of these Russian video games. I never heard of them until I read this article. Make sure to check out the gallery.

Article: Gonzales proposes new crime: 'Attempted' copyright infringement | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

CNET News.com: "Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is pressing the U.S. Congress to enact a sweeping intellectual-property bill that would increase criminal penalties for copyright infringement, including 'attempts' to commit piracy."

This is just scary legislation...

The iPhone is Coming... (June 29)

Its official, the Apple iPhone is coming June 29. In fact Apple and AT&T has just release three new iPhone commercials (called "Calamari" "How To", and "Never Been an iPod"). They're all available for viewing on Apple's web site.

Video: Richard Dawkins Talks About our Bizarre Universe (TEDTalks)

Richard Dawkins is Oxford University's "Professor for the Public Understanding of Science." In this talk, titled, "Queerer Than We Suppose: The strangeness of science," he suggests that the true nature of the universe eludes us, because the human mind evolved only to understand the "middle-sized" world we can observe. (Recorded July 2005 in Oxford, UK. Duration: 22:42) - More TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com.

Video: The Future of Civilization

Theoretical physicist and 2057 host Michio Kaku speculates on the future of civilization. The questions is will we survive? Watch the video to find out what I am talking about.

Video: How To Make Instant Hot Ice (using Sodium Acetate)

Create liquid that radiates heat and turns solid if something touches it. For more information on Sodium Acetate.

Video: First Time Machine (Discovery)

Here is a a clip taken from the Discovery Channel documentary 'The First Time Machine'. It is very interesting, but I have heard a similar theory based on 'worm holes'.

The way the machine works is that it allows a portal to be opened from the time it is turned on. So in theory it would be possible information or matter to be brought back from the future to the time that the machine was first turned on.

Interesting theory, but then we have to deal with the consequences of time paradoxes.

Video: Eurocopter BO-105 (An Amazing Helicopter)

Here is a Eurocopter BO-105 CBS 4 Twin engine helicopter, with a stock Rigid Rotor system which allows it to do the aerobatics.

Article: Mac Coming into Focus As Attack Target

eWeek reports: "There haven't been mass Mac exploits to date, but interest is growing, as evidenced by the quick turnout of exploit code for a recently disclosed vulnerability."

I wonder if Macs may need anti-virus and anti-malware software pretty soon?

Video: Saltwater into fire 2 (John Kanzius)

John Kanzius discovered that his radio frequency generator could release the oxygen and hydrogen from saltwater and create an incredibly intense flame. For more information check out this web site.

Hands on With 'Microsoft Surface': The Coffee-Table PC - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

PC Magazine reports: "Microsoft has been looking beyond the desktop for sometime now, but with the launch of 'Milan,' the company is showing the potential for so-called 'surface computing' to revolutionize everything from retail kiosks to the common coffee table. At its core, Milan is a PC running Windows Vista, but don't expect to use it with a keyboard and mouse. Instead, Milan uses a touch-sensitive display that enables multiple users to navigate the system's interface."

Hopefully one day I will be able to own one...

Google Gears Allows Offline Web Development

eWeek reports: "At Google's Developer Day event on May 31, the company is expected to announce Google Gears, an open-source technology for creating offline Web applications, said Bret Taylor, head of Google developer programs."

It seems like offline web applications are going to be the next hot technology that companies like Google and others that are going to be pushing it. Firefox 3 is also going to support offline web applications.

Article: Google, Microsoft Mapping Software Gets Real

PC Magazine reports: "Google and Microsoft returned from the holiday weekend poised to battle it out on the mapping front with updates that utilize 3-D and 360-degree virtual tour technology."

This is really impressive technology, here is an example of Google's technology. To try Microsoft's Maps Live.com technology you will need to install a special plug-in in your browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox).

Steampunk Keyboard Mod

Steampunk Keyboard Mod: "My goal with this project was to build a retro keyboard that was fully functional and of a sufficient quality that it could be used everyday by a touch typist."

This is the coolest keyboard mod that I have ever seen.

Video: Star Wars the Silent Movie

What Star Wars might have looked like if it was from the 20's... :-)

Artcile: Sneak Peek at the Zonbu PC

PC Magazine reports: "A $99 PC with up to 100GB of storage, a small footprint, and the ability to play your multimedia files? That's pretty hard to believe, but the Zonbu PC pulls it off."

What makes this computer different is that doesn't have a hard drive, and all data is stored on remote servers on the Internet. For more information read the article. Here is the Zonbu web site.

Google Improves Language Translation Site - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

PC Magazine reports: "Google Translate page will provide translations for 12 languages and will provide international web surfers the option to search the dearth of English-language information available on the Internet, according to Google."

Google has been enhancing its service offering, and now its expanding its translation services. To try out the new services, go to the following site.

Google Lab: Experimental Search

Check out Google Lab's new experimental search technologies. Some of them are very cool, while others have been around for a few years (such as keyboard shortcuts).

There are three new search technologies that they're demonstrating:

• Timeline and map views: Google extracts key dates and locations from your search results and display it in a different dimension.
• Keyboard shortcuts: Navigate your search results quickly without using your mouse.
• Left/right-hand search navigation: right or left-handed contextual search navigation that allows you to refine your search to related terms.

Article: Promising antispam technique gets nod

CNET News.com reports: "A key Internet standards body gave preliminary approval on Tuesday to a powerful technology designed to detect and block fake e-mail messages. It's called DomainKeys Identified Mail, and it promises to give Internet users the best chance so far of stanching the seemingly endless flow of fraudulent junk e-mail."

I have been reading about this technology for years, for the most part I assumed it died because I had not heard anything about it for a long time. Well its back, so let hope it works.

Google Offers Daily Trend Updates

PC Magazine reports: "Google Hot Trends combines elements of Zeitgeist and Trends—two existing Google products that give a glimpse into Web search habits, but only in retrospect based on weeks-old data."

Try out Google Hot Trends for yourself. It really is a combination of Google Zeitgeist and Trends feature in one tool.

Article: 10 Weirdest USB Devices, Part II

PC Magazine reports: "At PC Magazine, we know that not all gadgets are for practical use—some products do nothing more than provide us with a few laughs. Back in October of 2006, we brought you a collection of the 10 weirdest USB devices, including a USB hamster wheel and USB desk aquarium. ... Well, we're back with even more wild and crazy USB gadgets to crowd those USB ports. So hold on to that mouse, because you're in for a USB-tastic ride!"

It's amazing what people will create and hook it up to a computer.

Video: Project Constellation (NASA's Return to the Moon)

This is the coolest video I have seen from NASA, its CG animation about the 'Project Constellation'. This project is NASA's return to the Moon, using an Apollo type spacecraft. This video has a high production quality, and great music.



Here is some more information (not very glitzy, but full of information).

Audio: Chinese 'Gold Farmers'

From Morning Edition (May 14, 2007): "Playing online games for 12 hours is a full-time job for thousands of Chinese workers. They're accumulating virtual money - or "gold" - which they can sell for real cash. But it's a dull and labor-intensive job with limited payoffs."

Video: Helio Display In Action

San Francisco Technology Reporter Gabriel Slate demonstrates the 'Helio Display' from IO2Technology. The display allows you to project an image/video in mid-air. These displays can be purchased from the company for about US$20,000. Here is the video of it action.

Video: Talking Meat

Background: "Looking to extend the Empire, the Minister of Colonial Wars discovers to his great dismay Humans are made of... meat. Meat which can think, talk, sing, dream, build machines... How is the General of the Fifth Invasion Arm Forces going to react to such an universal anachronism when the Minister will report to him?" (excerpt from YouTube)



For some background on this story of this video, check out the following web site.

Video: Mineral Oil Submerged Computer

Puget Custom Computers shows you how to create an economical liquid cool PC by using an aquarium to submerge a motherboard and power supply in mineral oil. To learn more watch the video and then check out their web site.

Article: Hybrid Cars' Fantasy Mileage Ratings Drive Into the Sunset

Wired reports: "Hybrid car economics will face a new road test this month with the arrival of fresh models sporting revised mileage ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency. ... This year, new test standards have forced manufacturers to lower advertised efficiency claims on most models compared to previous years, and car lots are bracing for a tougher environment for hybrid sales."

The EPA's new standard for calculating estimated fuel economy has been updated. This new data reveals some interesting information about cars real fuel economy. Read the article to find out more.

Security: Avoiding Check Fraud

It appears that check fraud has become popular again. Con artists are 'washing' old checks to remove the ink using common household chemicals. After they remove the ink from the checks, they're cashing them for any value they choose.

To fight back, you need to use a pen, that has an ink that is that can't be washed off. For example, the Uni-Ball 207 uses an that is almost impervious to many solvents . This pen can be purchased for about about $2 a piece.

Video: 300 Trailer - PG Version

Quiz: Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

Find out if you are you smarter than a 5th grader, take the following quiz.

Video: Microsoft oPhone

Microsoft put together this video for the Mix '07 Web design conference in Las Vegas. There's several computer and programming related jokes in the video. oPhone is suppose to Microsoft's tongue-in-cheek answer to Apple's iPhone.

Video: Physics of Superheroes (Death of Gwen Stacy)

Physicist Dr. Jim Kakalios proves how Spider-Man's girlfriend Gwen Stacy died. This is one of the seminal events in the Spider-Man comic books. The video demonstrates some of the laws of Newtonian physics.

Article: When IT and taxidermy collide...

Ananova reports: "A US artist and inventor has combined IT and taxidermy to create a computer housed in a dead beaver. ... two more US inventors created a computer mouse housed in a real mouse."

If you love animals stop here, if you want to see case mods taken to a new level check out the following article.

Note: The influance for this case mod could have come from a joke article called 'Installing Linux on a Dead Badger'.

Article: Keystrokes Are Us

eWeek reports: "What I like about keystroke authentication as a biometric factor is that it uses something that is already built in to every user's PC: a keyboard. This eliminates the need to, for example, retrofit field-deployed PCs with a fingerprint reader—ditto for laptops—because the keyboard"

This is an interesting product, instead of using extra hardware that most computers don't have (such as a fingerprint reader, retina scanner, etc.). This software records the characteristic of your keystrokes and factors them into your password.

Slideshow 10 Emerging Technologies that Flopped

An interesting slideshow of technologies that flopped in the recent past for one reason or other. Some of the technologies were just bad ideas, others were marketed poorly, or some were just the wrong solution to a problem.

Article: 'Encyclopedia of Life' Project Launched

PC Magazine reports: "From apples to zebras, all 1.8 million known plant and animal species will be listed in an Internet-based 'Encyclopedia of Life' under a $100 million project, ... The 10-year scheme, launched with initial grants of $12.5 million from two U.S.-based foundations, could aid everyone from children with biology homework to governments planning how to protect endangered species."

I really hope that the 'Encyclopedia of Life' and Wikipedia will collaborate with each other rather then compete as two existing projects. I believe the combination of the two sources of information would be very powerful.

LG GGW-H10N PC Blu-ray / HD-DVD Combo

ExtremeTech reports: "Recently, LG Electronics began shipping the Super Blu Player, a consumer Blu-ray player that can also play back HD-DVD movies, though some advanced HD-DVD interactive features are missing. Now the company is readying a PC drive that can burn Blu-ray, DVD, and CD discs. It also serves as an HD-DVD ROM drive and, with the right software, can play back HD-DVD movies."

The first generation of HD DVD/Blu-ray combo drives are arriving on the market. Personally, I have been waiting for these drives for a little while because it means that I don't have to commit to one format or the other.

Video: In the Universe Size Does Matter...

This video really puts the size of the planets and stars into prospective...

Chad Vader Episode 6 & 7

These are the latest installment of the continuing story of Chad Vader, Darth Vader's less-talented, less-charismatic younger brother

Episode 6


Episode 7


If you have not yet already watched "Chad Vader - Day Shift Manager" episodes 1-5, you may want to watch them to get the background story. I have included links to these videos below:

• Episode 1
• Episode 2
• Episode 3
• Episode 4
• Episode 5

Video: Porsche 911 vs Yamaha R1

Which is faster a Porsche 911 or Yamaha R1? Watch the video to find out.

Fast Food: Ads vs. Reality

"Each item was purchased, taken home, and photographed immediately. Nothing was tampered with, run over by a car, or anything of the sort. It is an accurate representation in every case. Shiny, neon-orange, liquefied pump-cheese, and all."

Warning: after reading this blog post you may lose your desire for certain fast foods. If you're on a diet, please read this you might not desire this stuff so much. ;-)

Video: The Apple iBox Gaming Console

Check out Apple's new gaming console, its called iBox and it doesn't even require a controller.

Video: Novell MAC vs. PC ad spoof

Novell's has gotten in on the MAC/PC ad spoof.

• Episode 1
• Episode 2 (my favorite)
• Episode 3

Video: Code Guardian (Parts 1 and 2)

What happens if WWII had giant fighting robots? Marco Spitoni spent the last five years of his spare time creating a 13-minute CG mini-movie called 'Code Guardian' to answer that question.

Code Guardian (Parts 1)


Code Guardian (Parts 2)


Check out his web site to watch some more of his stuff or find out more about these videos.

Call Any Phone Anywhere with Skype for Free on Mother's Day

Skype is offering a full day of free calling to any phone (land lines and cell phone) anywhere in the world on Mother's Day (that's May 13th for the males out there). :-)

Article: 15 ways stores trick you into spending - MSN Money

MSN Money reports: "Ever notice how you can go to a store to pick up just one thing and then, by the time you get to the check stand, you have five or six things in your cart and a bigger bill than you had anticipated?"

Stores will use an several different techniques to try to get you to buy more stuff then you need. This is great article that explains the psychological factors that are part of just about every store's design to get you spend more money.

Video: Millimeters Matter

This video is just weird... If you are small compared to everyone else - size really is important!

Slideshow: The Most Important Open-Source Apps of All Time - Linux Kernel

eWEEK Labs names the applications that have moved open-source technologies from corporate curiosities to integral enterprise tools.

If you don't know anything about open-source technologies, this is the quickest primer you will ever take. If you're looking for some best open-source applications available this list contains some of the best. Its not complete by any means but its a great start.