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Obama Moves To Link Pentagon With NASAAmiga Trombone sends this quote from the beginning of a story at Bloomberg: "President-elect Barack Obama will probably tear down long-standing barriers between the US's civilian and military space programs to speed up a mission to the moon amid the prospect of a new space race with China. Obama's transition team is considering a collaboration between the Defense Department and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration because military rockets may be cheaper and ready sooner than the space agency's planned launch vehicle, which isn't slated to fly until 2015, according to people who've discussed the idea with the Obama team."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 4 Jan 2009 | 2:25 pm NASA Marks 5th Year for Mars Rovers - Voice of America
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 2:01 pm Cadillac unveils sleeker SRX before Detroit show - WLNS
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 2:00 pm First reactions to Windows 7 - ZDNet
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 1:53 pm Linux Kernel 2.4 Or 2.6 In Embedded System?snikulin writes "My 6-year-old embedded software happily runs on kernel v2.4 on an XScale CPU. The software gets a bunch (tens of megabytes) of data from an FPGA over a PCI-X bus and pushes it out over GigE to data-processing equipment. The tool chain is based on the somewhat outdated gcc v2.95. Now, for certain technical reasons we want to jump from the ARM-based custom board to an Atom-based COM Express module. This implies that I'll need to re-create a Linux RAM disk from scratch along with the tool chain. The functionality of the software will be essentially the same. My question: is it worth it to jump to kernel 2.6, or better to stick with the old and proven 2.4? What will I gain and what will I lose if I stay at 2.4 (besides the modern gcc compiler and the other related dev tools)?"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 4 Jan 2009 | 1:11 pm desertmanhattan update[YouTube video...] ["DesertManahattan". 4 x 8". Ink, Acrylic and Pencil on Canvas etc...] Progress on "DesertManhattan" has been slow these last few weeks- I've been busy with other projects, mostly the...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:49 pm FACTS OF THE MATTER Quake swarm at Yellowstone may signal blast - Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:43 pm the mess you makeSource: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:28 pm paid my duesSource: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:23 pm Animal-Inspired Sculptural Seating - Life-Sized Sheep Double as Sturdy Stools (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Hanns-Peter Kraffts German-made sheep are timeless, innovative, whimsical, offbeat, and can add a bit of the outdoors to an indoor setting. Since the sheep dont eat or drink or even...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:19 pm billionaireSource: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:14 pm LEGO Builds for Grown-Ups - Scene Features Pole Dancers, Beer Gardens and Drunk Knights (VIDEO)(TrendHunter.com) Well as far as LEGO goes, can you ever become too old to build your dream scenario? Children love to play with LEGO bricks and build huge battlefields, star ships and pirate ships...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:59 am west texas mountainsI drew this one from memory, sitting in a coffee shop... it captures the vibe of living out here pretty well......Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:51 am 1997This is a cartoon about the year, 1997. I drew it yesterday, sitting over at Harry's Tinaja. More specifically, it's about December, 1997, when I started drawing cartoons on the back of business cards-...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:40 am Koosh Ball Ottomans - Eco-Conscious Furniture Made from Recycled Flip-Flops (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Merging creativity with social purpose, industrial leftovers from flip-flop factories are used to employ local people making Miss Rio Ottomans. Brazilian designer Karin Wittmann Wilsmann...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:39 am Tahoe resorts boast exceptional ski conditions - San Jose Mercury News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:37 am Facebook Quietly Pulls PollsWe got a tip that Facebook Polls, the social networking service's business tool that enabled anyone to create a paid poll targetting a pre-defined group of users, is no longer available. The link that...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:34 am Facebook Quietly Pulls Polls
When Facebook Polls launched back in June 2007, we called it a dream product for brand marketers and market researchers. Users could create a poll and target users based gender, age, location or profile keyword. Facebook charged a variable fee based on how quickly you wanted results, and based on how many results you wanted and how much you were wiling to pay per result. Prices ranged from $.10 to $1.00 per data point, plus an initial $5 insertion fee, and the polls appeared in Facebook users’ news feed so more people could become aware of the service.
Back then, Facebook had only 20+ million users on the social network - it has more than six times that amount today - and Polls seemed like a great way to monetize the appeal and engagement of Facebook’s user based on demographics. On the other hand, there was some criticism regarding the pricing and the fact that Facebook Polls delivered statistically insignificant results. Anyone care to take a wild guess why they decided to pull the service? (I have contacted Facebook PR and will update this post if and when I get word back.) Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0 Source: Gizmodo | 4 Jan 2009 | 11:00 am SkyGrid To Offer Free Version Of Real Time News Service. Future Of News Aggregation?
The paid Skygrid service lets users personalize and filter the real time news stream from blogs and traditional new sites, and it also tries to detect “sentiment” via an algorithm that guesses what the tone of the article is. That’s a big plus for traders trying to make quick decisions on which way the market is going. Publications and authors are also ranked by authority. But now, we’ve learned, the company is preparing to offer a free version of the service that anyone can use. The paid version is really only attractive to private equity funds and individual traders that need a jump on the news to get better returns on stock trades. Few others are going to pay $500/month for a premium news service. The free version, though, may be the future of news aggregation. Our understanding is that there is little attempt to cluster news items as Google News and TechMeme do to try and rank stories. Rather, it presents a personalized, filtered stream based on company, sector, topic and industry settings you make. In the future you may go to sites like Google News and TechMeme to see what the important stories of the day are. But you’ll go to sites like SkyGrid to monitor all the important news around topics you care deeply about. As a blogger, I really look forward to the new service. Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware. Source: TechCrunch | 4 Jan 2009 | 10:53 am UPDATE 6-Four killed as quake strikes Indonesia's PapuaJAKARTA, Jan 4 (Reuters) - A series of powerful earthquakes off the northern coast of West Papua, Indonesia, early on Sunday killed four people, injured several others and flattened buildings, officials...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 9:55 am UPDATE 1-China develops gas fields in East China Sea-reportBEIJING/TOKYO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - China has drilled a gas field in the East China Sea in violation of a June agreement, a Japanese newspaper reported on Sunday, a charge Beijing dismissed because it said...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 9:25 am Universities Patenting More Student Ideastheodp writes "Working as a NASA intern, grad student Erez Lieberman had a eureka moment, resulting in an algorithm that detects whether a person is standing correctly or is off balance. Unfortunately, MIT liked it so much they decided to patent it. Seeking permission to use his own idea for his iShoe startup, which develops products like insoles to address the problems of seniors, Lieberman was told no problem — as long as he promised a hefty royalty and forked over a $75,000 upfront payment. Whether or not students are aware of it, the NYTimes reports that most universities own inventions created by students that were developed using a 'significant' amount of schools resources. Colleges and universities once obtained fewer than 250 patents a year, but that was before the Bayh-Dole Act gave them ownership of inventions developed through federally financed research. Now they acquire about 3,000 a year, and in 2006 licensing fees and equity in spinoff companies totaled at least $45B — research powerhouses like Stanford and NYU pocketed $61M and $157M, respectively."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 4 Jan 2009 | 9:23 am Spirit and Opportunity rovers mark five years on MarsThe US space agency's Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity this month mark their fifth anniversary on the Red Planet, where they have endured harsh conditions and revealed a deluge of...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 8:26 am Samsung to unveil 7mm thick TV at CES - NetworkWorld.com
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 7:48 am Samsung to Unveil 7mm Thick TV at CES (PC World)PC World - Samsung Electronics plans to unveil a flat-panel TV that's as thin as just 6.5-millimeters at this week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it said Sunday.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 4 Jan 2009 | 7:40 am NYC’s Tekserve offering incentives to recycleSection: Gadgets / Other, Green
Anyone that brings electronics to recycle to the store is given a $25 discount towards a new model iPod (sadly no $25 or $45 shuffles, though) or computer within 30 days of the event. Each person actively recycling is also put into a raffle for a new aluminum MacBook or one of three 16GB iPod nanos. Seems worthwhile to me if I were closer to the store’s location at 119 West 23rd Street, I would definitely bring a some of the old dead electronics that I have lying around. It’s always nice to see more companies that offer recycling programs. A lot of old electronics have materials that while not harmful to humans, are very dangerous to the environment. Actually, according to the Tekserve press release, 70 percent of all toxins found in landfills are from electronics. Any opportunity to lower the percentage is a worthwhile one, especially if you could win something new to go along with it. Read [Business Wire] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 4 Jan 2009 | 7:20 am Conservation Group Plans to Sue to Force Better Cleanup in Bay - Washington Post
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 6:47 am Calif. tries to restock salmon riverResearchers are trying to restore salmon to a river in California with fish bred to increase their chance of survival in the wild. The California Department of Fish and Game released 305 young Coho salmon in the Salmon River in Sonoma County, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 4 Jan 2009 | 5:51 am FIRST Robotics Competition AnnouncedZ80xxc! writes "FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) has officially announced the 2009 FIRST Robotics Competition. This competition, started by inventor Dean Kamen, encourages high-school students to design and build robots to compete with and against other FRC teams. The competition overview video is available from NASA. This year's competition is called 'Lunacy.' The game consists of a series of 135-second face-offs during which the student-designed robots must pick up 9-inch game balls and deposit them in trailers hitched to the opposing teams' robots. The game field is coated with regolith, a slick polymer material, and special wheels are used to create a low-traction interaction with the crater's surface. Together, these combine to simulate the one-sixth gravity on the surface of the moon. For any readers who are interested in participating, FRC teams can always use more adult mentors."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 4 Jan 2009 | 5:38 am Lexus ad tickled my inner 8-year-old, not my thinning walletFROM GAMERTELL - The Lexus commerical featuring the Atari 2600 stirs a few favorable memories for this Gamertell writer but not of a gas-guzzling gift… MORE » Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 4 Jan 2009 | 4:50 am China develops gas field in East China Sea-reportTOKYO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - China has drilled the Tianwaitian gas field in the East China Sea, a Japanese newspaper reported on Sunday, despite an agreement in June to jointly develop gas fields in disputed...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 4 Jan 2009 | 4:41 am PS2 crushes Wii, Xbox and PS3 in played minutes - CNET News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 4:18 am Hot gaming news for the week of 12-28-2008Section:  No need to scour the interwebs for hot gaming news, Gamertell‘s already done that for you! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories…
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 4 Jan 2009 | 4:18 am Open Source Victories of 2008Meshach writes "Ars Technica has an interesting run-down on the major open source victories of 2008. Some, like Firefox 3, we can probably mostly agree on. Others — KDE 4 comes to mind — will be more controversial. And Mono 2? What else should be on the list?"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 4 Jan 2009 | 3:30 am Israeli news site down, blames cyber attack (CNET)CNET - First real war, now a cyber war? The Jerusalem-based Debkafile said it was temporarily put out of action Saturday evening by a cyber attack.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 4 Jan 2009 | 2:41 am Wikimedia Foundation: Jimmy Wales 'absolutely' not out - CNET News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 4 Jan 2009 | 2:13 am 32bit Win7 Vs. Vista Vs. XPAn anonymous reader writes "ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes tested the latest Win7 build against XP and Vista and came to a surprising conclusion: Win7 performs better than the other 2 OSs in the vast majority of the 23 tasks tested. Even installation. 'Rather than publish a series of benchmark results for the three operating systems (something which Microsoft frowns upon for beta builds, not to mention the fact that the final numbers only really matter for the release candidate and RTM builds), I've decided to put Windows 7, Vista and XP head-to-head in a series of real-world tests...'" This review shows only a 1-2-3 ranking for each test, so there's no sense of the quantitative level of improvement.Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 4 Jan 2009 | 1:21 am CES 2009 Preview: ezGear’s BluCobra EZ3000 Blu-Ray playerSection: Audio, Home Audio, Video, Accessories, DVD Players/DVRs, HDTV, Video Providers, Trade Shows, CES
ezGear, a company well-known for their high end audio and video electronics, plans to debut their BluCoba EZ3000 Blu-Ray player in hopes it gains popularity and recognition. The EZ3000 is the first product in the BluCobra series, so we can probably expect more, similar Blu-ray players later on. They claim that the EZ3000 and the BluCobra lineup as a whole contains features found in advanced models, but sell for a less expensive price than others. To begin with, the Blu-Ray player comes with many video outputs including HDMI 1.3, component video, composite video, and S-video. It also supports SACD, Blu-Ray (obviously), and DVD all at 1080p and 24Hz outputs. In case your HDTV isn’t full HD, the EZ3000 also can output at 1080i, 720i, and 480i resolutions. For audio, it supports MPEG-2, Dolby TrueHD, Digital Dolby, and DTS-HD Master Audio. Charlie Bernstein, President of ezGEAR, had this to say about their EZ3000:
He is right about Blu-Ray players being too expensive for the average American at this time, and he is trying to decrease the price as much as possible in efforts to make it more popular. By spring of this year, the EZ3000 should be on sale for $399.99 or lower. If you are interested in learning more about this Blu-Ray player, you check out their CES booth 25321. Full press release is below. Read [ezGEAR]
Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 4 Jan 2009 | 1:14 am Our 12 (Or So) Favorite Techy Cartoons of 2008If it seems like technology and cartoon humor don't fit as well together as crusty old millionaires and big-boob gold-diggers, it's probably true. The principles that drive tech innovation are based on a certain amount of hopeful enthusiasm that is hard to make fun of sometimes. Many new gadgets focus on dry accumulative hardware developments that are technically dense and the personalities driving them are often, on the surface, quite serious. But with a skillful drawing, a great cartoonist can find insightful humor in anything. And often, the artist expresses commentary that can be more than funny. It can be reflective, mocking, or brutally honest in a single panel of narrative. As the Daily Telegraph once stated, what makes a great cartoon is that its "action and character must be read and recognised at a glance, subtleties and depth of meaning may emerge as the cartoon is studied." This year, the gadget world provided cartoonists with great opportunities to show the growing hold that tech has on our lives. From Bill Gates' retirement to the global launch of the iPhone 3G, the cartoonists were there, ready to comment with a stencil and a knowing smile. Here are the winners: 12. Should You Buy a Smartphone or Gas?, by Beeler
One of the biggest stories of the year was the record-high price for gas. On June 20th, the average price for one gallon of regular gas reached $4.68. As a result, commuters cut their gas budgets and ridership in public transportation increased, leading to a huge spikes in bike sales. In the following months, the demand for oil decreased and prices fell precipitously. As shown in the cartoon, sensible budget-management led many to reconsider their own investments in high-priced gadgets, like the Blackberry. But the Crackberry habit proved too enticing essential for the life of daily workers -- it's still the top smartphone in the market. Even Barack Obama has had a hard time letting go. 11. Human Computer Interaction, by Alexandr Zudin (St. Petersburg, Russia, 4/12/2008)
2008 was another year full of innovations in the world of robotics, bringing us ever closer towards the robot uprising. This cartoon nicely portrays the growth of artificial intelligence as it is bound to our own intelligence. It mirrors the continuing goal of electronic user interfaces (as well as net tools like search engines) to accurately match a person's true intent, which is of course found in the cognition engine of the brain. Plus, the cartoon is just plain creepy. Check out our robot hand gallery from a few months ago to check out how close we are to bringing this cartoon to life. 10. MICROSOFT and YAHOO, by Patrick Chappatte (The International Herald Tribune, 2/20/2008)
Microsoft made a surprising and unsolicited $44.6 billion bid for struggling Yahoo! at the beginning of 2008 and we spent the rest of the year figuring out when the Silicon Valley giant would finally cave in. The appearance of the company's perceived helplessness and stubborn delusions in these cartoons shows how far the company's fortunes have fallen in comparison to its rivals. The toon suggests it has essentially become the bait in a power struggle where only one Big Dog (or Pac-Man) gets to eat. NomNomNom indeed. If this is resolved in 2009, it will lead to a bigger question: Who gets to be Pac Man and Mrs. Pac-Man? 9. Rake The Leaves, Son, by Randy Bish (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 10/13/2008)
This year, the Macarthur Foundation unveiled a study that being on the internet is not actually a bad thing for students. Turns out they told us what we already knew: That social and technical skills are easy to develop online and that maintaining a permanent public record of your friends may not be such a bad thing. Still, the generation gap between parents and kids who grew up on the internet is still big. And chores will always be chores, no matter how high-tech we get. 8. Ballmer Can't Catch a Break, by Milt Priggee (Puget Sound Business Journal, 6/12/2008)
In his rule as CEO, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer is trying to reach a few markets that are still within grasp of the company but that have gotten away from them just a tad. One such service is in search, where Google controls the market to such a degree that it's become a verb for the term. Earlier this year, MS came out with a cashback program that allowed users to get rebates for purchases they make through Live.com, essentially 'tipping' people to use their search engine. It doesn't look like it worked. Maybe if they buy enough robot-controlled brain implants . . . 7. Cell Phone Ban, by Theo Moudakis (1/29/2008)
This one is all about hypocrisy. In 2008, a growing number of states, including California, passed laws that made driving while talking on the cell phone illegal, unless you had a hands-free device. The law arose out of the growing need for safety regulations and the growth of cell phone use. the number of deaths related to cell phones is estimated to be about 2,600 a year. But it's not a full solution. As the toon suggests, dangerous car incidents also occur because of a growing number of reasons. Sleep deprivation, multi-tasking, drunk driving, and even stress contribute to many accidents. 6. COLOR FAA Communication Flop, by Larry Wright (The Detroit News, 8/26/2008)
The disparity between the quality of the technology available in the private sector and that being used by the government became pronounced this year when problems with FAA computers delayed hundreds of flights across the country. This satire plays upon that theme, but we also see the slow growing pains that the airlines are going through to provide better in-flight tech services, like wireless internet, while being tethered to an old-system that needs to change. 5. Cell Phone Plans Runaround, by Angel Boligan (El Universal, Mexico City, 4/22/2008) (El Universal, Mexico City, 1/14/2008)
We found out this year that the telcoms are ripping us all off. Oh, we already knew that didn't we? Recently, reports found that text messages cost carriers close to zero, and the huge bills from cell phone data plans and roaming fees surprised more than a few people. Mr. Boligan told Wired.com he drew this cartoon as a response to the monopoly in different wireless communications enjoyed by many international telcoms, like Mexico's Telcel. 4.The Joy of Tech, by Nitrozac & Snaggy
The Joy of Tech has always been good for a consistently hilarious approach to the world of tech, and Nitrozac & Snaggy didn't dissappoint this year. The Wii Fit system proved popular but many thought the game's assessment of people's fit level was far too honest. But others, like Wired's Chris Kohler, believe it's good enough to put you in a good exercise routine,even if the challenges aren't that difficult. As for the iPhone cartoon, it's a self-explanatory depiction of Apple fanboy's tunnel vision when it comes to their favorite company. 3. The Dark Side of Google Chrome, by David Fitzsimmons (The Arizona Star, 9/11/2008)
This year, Google unveiled a browser after years of rumors. But with all of its new features, like a unique rendering model and new V8 JavaScript engine, plenty of criticism also came with it. Privacy advocates found that that actions performed on the browser could be linked to your main Google account, which could potentially extend the company's reach of personal information. Gives the definition of 'Googling' a whole new meaning. 2. Altered Gates, by Joy of Tech
Bill Gates retired earlier this year from full-time duties at Microsoft, and along with moving on to his foundation, he also created a think tank called bgC3 LLC. But the project's somewhat mysterious quality, along with the public's fascination with one of the richest men in the world caused everyone to come up with their own ideas. 1. No Exit, by Andy Singer (U.S., various dates)
Andy Singer's work is always acerbic, hilarious, and knowing. We picked these cartoons among several good works throughout the year as the year's best because they show a consistency of humor and depth and really, Singer just draws the funniest eyeballs in the business. All images depicted are published at the courtesy of the artists. Thanks guys, and keep them coming for 2009! Gadget Lab 2.0: Jose Fermoso's Twitter feed; Gadget Lab on Facebook. 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 4 Jan 2009 | 1:05 am Israel Invades Gaza: Online coverage, "citizen reporter" resources. Today, the Israeli government sent ground troops into Gaza, after an intense 8-day air offensive on Hamas. Two recent Boing Boing posts related to this topic drew intense discussions with an extremely high number of comments, so I thought I'd open up a new thread today -- clearly you, our community, have a lot to say about this, and about alternative resources for news, information, and insight on the conflict. Among the resources I've pointed to before: Global Voices' special coverage on the Gaza conflict. Rocketboom did special coverage from the region earlier in 2008, worth re-watching for FAQ about those homemade rockets from Hamas. Last week, representatives of the Israeli government held press conferences of a sort on Twitter, and today Twitter is abuzz with tweets pointing to Al Jazeera's new "Gaza coverage" twitterbot. CNN is reporting that some of the weapons being used by Israel to attack mixed civilian and military targets come from the United States. There are an awful lot of protests, pro- and against, going on around the world. A request in advance to those joining the discussion thread here on Boing Boing: keep it civil, respectful, on-topic, and please avoid personal attacks and moralizing. The road to Godwin's law is a short one. Let's not go there. Predictably, there is much fawning about in mainstream outlets over amateur op-eds on YouTube. If you *really* want endless rivers of unmoderated attack-comments, please just go there, instead. And to members of our international audience who have friends or fam on either side of the battle lines, my heart goes out to you. (Thanks, Derek Bledsoe) Image: Israeli flag holder on right, courtesy formsixteen. Palestinian flag holder on left, courtesy jilliancyork.
Previously:
Source: Boing Boing | 4 Jan 2009 | 12:39 am Crowded HDD market inspires forward thinking quad interface from VerbatimSection: Peripherals, Storage
Protected by an aluminum housing, the drives are small and easily transported from desk to desk and their large size can eliminate multiple smaller HDDs. The drives also include Nero for automatic Windows machine backups. Honestly though, is just an HDD enough? Many storage experts cite the need to have back ups of your data and while you can back up your machine to a drive like this, the data must stay on your local machine to be the back up. For those looking to move data off their machines might be best served by a RAID solution, such as Verbatim’s 2TB USB/eSATA 2-Disk RAID Desktop Hard Drive for about $80 more. Product page: [Verbatim] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 3 Jan 2009 | 11:26 pm Actor Matt Smith Will Be 11th Doctor WhoJerry Smith was among a large number of readers letting us know that the 11th Doctor Who has been named. It's Matt Smith, 26, who will be the youngest actor to play the time-traveling Doctor. The head of drama at BBC Wales said this about Smith's audition: "It was abundantly clear that he had that 'Doctor-ness' about him. You are either the Doctor or you are not."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 3 Jan 2009 | 11:14 pm Power Twitter: Inline Media, Integrated Search And A Lot More
Power Twitter moves Twitter Search, inconveniently located on a different subdomain, right into the Twitter site itself. You can also just search a single user’s updates from that user’s Twitter page. Twitter should have long ago integrated a search box directly onto the logged-in Twitter home page. They haven’t, but Power Twitter fixes this. Power Twitter also fixes the @replies feature, which currently only shows Twitter messages directed to you that begin with @[yourusername]. With Power Twitter you see all messages that contain your user name, fixing a big hole on Twitter. YouTube, Flickr, and TwitPic links are also added in-line to Twitter messages so you don’t have to click off site to see them. This is something competitor Friendfeed does and is an often-requested feature. Another feature I like: you can mouse over a user icon and see the last few Twitter messages they’ve written. This helps to put current messages into context to understand the conversation. Other features: you can click on the Facebook tab on the right and see updates for your Facebook friends directly in Twitter. In summary, this is the way to fix Twitter, directly via the user interface, not from a third party site that users will forget to go to.
Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 10:45 pm How To Try Spotify Immediately, No Matter Where You Live
New European streaming music service Spotify, which TechCrunch UK has been tracking since October, is getting increasingly good reviews. Spotify is a downloadable client for Windows and Mac users that lets you search, browse and stream a deep collection of music. Sadly, it is only available in the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Spain and France and you need an invitation to join (InviteShare is actively trading them). The user experience is beyond even the best web based streaming services like LaLa, MySpace Music and Imeem. It acts like a fully stocked iTunes, with everything hyperlinked to easily find related music. Creating playlists is a snap. There is no way to move music outside of the application, or onto music devices. But it is the best way to legally find and stream music for free that I’ve seen I have no invitation and I live in the U.S., but I’ve been using Spotify all afternoon. There have previously been posts on getting into the service from a banned location once you have an invitation using a proxy server. Today on Digg, though, a commenter left instructions on how to use Spotify without an invitation. I tried it, and it works (for now).
It’s likely that the proxy server will be banned shortly, but there are countless others in the non-banned countries. The important thing is to visit this URL from that proxy server. And I recommend you do it now, before the hole is plugged. Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors Source: TechCrunch | 3 Jan 2009 | 10:18 pm Obama considers linking Defense Dept. with NASA - CNET News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 3 Jan 2009 | 10:17 pm Protection From Online Eviction?AOL has been shutting down its free Web services, in some cases with little or no notice to users, and they are not the only ones. This blog post on the coming "datapocalypse" makes the case that those who host Web content should be required to provide notice and access to data for a year, and be held strictly accountable the way landlords are before they can evict a tenant. Some commenters on the post argue that you get what you pay for with free Web services, and that users should be backing up their data anyway. What do you think, should there be required notice and access before online hosts take user data offline for good?Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 9:45 pm Free Apps Roundup for this weekFROM APPLETELL - This year I’ll resolve to keep my iPhone’s home screens a little more organized, though, like most New Year resolutions, I doubt it’s really going to happen. And more free apps probably aren’t helping. MORE » Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 8:45 pm AT&T 3G Upgrades Degrade 2G Signal StrengthTimothy R. Butler writes "Much to the chagrin of owners of various 2G cell phones on AT&T Mobility's network, including the highly visible (and originally highly expensive) first-generation iPhone, we have discovered that AT&T has been quietly adjusting its network in ways that degrade 2G network performance as it has sought to build out its next-generation 3G network. Many of the phones affected, including BlackBerry devices, are still well within their two-year contract period."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 3 Jan 2009 | 8:44 pm Wisconsin swans and ospreys thrivingWisconsin wildlife officials say osprey and trumpeter swan populations have recovered enough to be removed from the state's endangered species list. The state's Natural Resources Board will to be asked to remove the birds from the list Jan.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 3 Jan 2009 | 8:34 pm Star Trek Captain’s Chair now shipping for way too much money (female not included)
Announced a few months ago, the replica Star Trek Captain’s chair is now selling for $2717.01 plus $400 for shipping and handling from SkyMall. If you’ve got the coin and the love for one of the greatest Sci-Fi series of all time, you’ll likely not be disappointed as the “officially licensed replica” chair itself is a spitting image of the real thing and features “a working swivel design, light-up controls and sound effects from the legendary Star Trek series.” Star Trek Captain’s Chair [SkyMall] Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 7:45 pm Microsoft Issues Workaround For Zune FreezeUnknowingFool writes "As a followup to the Zune New Year's Eve meltdown, Microsoft has issued a workaround for what some users have correctly guessed was a bug caused by a leap year. To recover from the problem, let the Zune drain the batteries and restart it after noon on January 1, 2009. Many sites are reporting that Microsoft has 'fixed' the issue, but technically all Microsoft has done is to ask users to wait out the conditions that triggered the bug. Unless a software patch comes out, Zunes will suffer the same problem again in four years." Reader ndtechnologies adds, "According to posts in the Toshiba forum at anythingbutipod.com, the same bug that shut down millions of Zune 30's also affects the Toshiba Gigabeat S. The Zune 30 is based off of the Gigabeat S series and was co-developed by Microsoft with Toshiba."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 3 Jan 2009 | 7:28 pm MAKE: television site has videos of first episode
The first episode of MAKE: television debuts on public television today. But you can watch the show now by visiting makezine.tv. Here's the "Maker-to-Maker" segment featuring my friend William Gurstelle. Source: Boing Boing | 3 Jan 2009 | 7:01 pm CrunchDeals: Digital TV converter box free after coupon
Which will be worse, the impending shift to all-digital TV or the impending pole shift that’ll wipe out most, if not all, life on Earth as we know it? Both are coming soon and both are causing people to panic, although the TV one is causing more panic thanks to the nonsensical commercials, non-stop news coverage, and the thought of not being able to watch TV. The government attempts to quell everyone’s TV fears by offering $40 coupons good towards analog-to-digital converter boxes. And guess what? CompUSA just happens to be selling a converter box for $40.01 – what luck! You can get the box here, your coupons here, and read our transition guide here. I’ll let you read up on the pole shift stuff yourself. This is a gadget blog, after all. [via dealnews] Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 6:45 pm Western Digital WD TV, tagline contest update
Source: CrunchGear | 3 Jan 2009 | 6:43 pm Mars rover mission reaches 5th anniversaryFive years after the NASA rover Spirit landed on Mars, the six-wheel robotic geologist and its twin Opportunity are still on the job. Expectations were far lower when Spirit made a...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 3 Jan 2009 | 6:24 pm BOOM! Top Apple news for the week of 12-28-2008Section:  We may not cover Apple 24x7… but we know someone who does! Here’s a few of this week’s hottest from Appletell to get you started…
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 3 Jan 2009 | 6:22 pm Guy spends $4000 for pair of custom ‘Back to the Future’ sneakers
Who knew, but apparently the world’s been clamoring for the sneakers that Marty McFly wore in Back to the Future: Part Two. Shoe collector Mark Kurath’s been trying to find an exact replica since he first saw the movie, initially purchasing a pair of 1989 Nike Air Pegasus shoes and sewing some namby-pamby cloth to the tops of them before throwing in the towel. Fast forward to the present day and Kurath finally broke down and hired a professional shoemaker to build his dream kicks. Total cost? $4000. That sounds insane to most people but for a guy who has over 500 pairs of sneakers in a dedicated showroom in his house, that’s probably nothing. He’s planning to open up his own shoe store early this year.
[Sneaker Freaker via Neatorama] Source: CrunchGear | 3 Jan 2009 | 6:00 pm More talk of a 10-inch Acer netbook
Previously foreshadowed but now with some photos and specs to back it up, it appears that Acer will indeed be shipping a 10.1-inch version of its Aspire One netbook this February. Couple things to note: First, Acer loves the "don’t-show-the-front" product shots, so we can’t really ascertain if anything looks drastically different. The so-so keyboard from the current models will be the same on the new ones. The trackpad buttons, however, will be moved from either side of the trackpad to underneath it. I guess that’s good, although it’d be nice to see a bigger keyboard as well. Second, it doesn’t appear that there’s been much done in the way of upgrades or improvements under the hood. The machine appears to be virtually identical, spec-wise, to the current models with the exception of a card reader replacing the storage expansion slot and a single memory slot that can take up to 2GB instead of two 1GB slots. Bluetooth and 3G will be optional, too, although the 3G thing’s already been done with that RadioShack promotion. This all begs the question: why wait until February? This could have been pushed out months ago and sold alongside current models. Also, and this isn’t aimed at just Acer, but it’s time for netbook manufacturers to either bump up the screen resolution or offer it as an upgrade on build-to-order machines. The 1024×600 thing isn’t doing it for anyone and the 8.9-inch HP Mini Note 2133 that came out a trillion years ago had a 1280×800 resolution, so we all know it can be done. Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 4:45 pm VAIO P specs continue to seep out of the Interwebs
Sony’s doing a damn fine job generating buzz ’bout their upcoming 8-inch netbook/UMPC with gradual leaks and such. We already knew that the VAIO Pocket will be powered by an 1.33GHz Atom CPU along with the rest of the specs. (missed that post? it was on Christmas day) The latest leak finally reveals the price and a few more technical details. It seems that the tiny, WinXP machine is going to cost ya around a grand - €700 or $974 to be exact. A 3G WWAN card and GPS might sweeten the deal a bit more but for just under $1,000, you will be purchasing an 8-inch, Atom-powered notebook. Seems to be priced a tad over market. Then again, Apple’s netbook, the Air, starts at $1799 and it seems to be selling alright. Eh, Biggs? Alright, so now where are some more pics? Those FCC and keyboard shots don’t cut it. Perhaps next week at CES ‘09? Maybe, maybe. image via Pocketables Source: CrunchGear | 3 Jan 2009 | 4:40 pm S.Korea says domestic power prices too lowSEOUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Korea's energy minister said current power prices were insufficient for state-run power companies -- Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and Korea Gas Corp , urging an increase...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 3 Jan 2009 | 4:19 pm Moscone Center gearing up for Macworld
Macworld is almost here and in true Apple fashion, the venue is done up in cloth-covered banners. Only a select, Apple kool-aid-drinking few knows what’s behind them. A new Mac Mini? A larger iPod Touch? A netbook? Other sizes of the new aluminum MacBook and MacBook Pro? We’ll find out on Monday! More teaser pics after the jump. AppleInsider & The Apple Lounge Source: Gizmodo | 3 Jan 2009 | 2:45 pm Polish gas supply via Ukraine falls 11 percentWARSAW, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Russian gas deliveries to Poland through Ukraine fell further on Saturday, dropping by 5 million cubic metres a day, but deliveries through Belarus made up for the shortfall,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 3 Jan 2009 | 1:23 pm
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We got a tip that Facebook Polls, the social networking service’s business tool that enabled anyone to create a paid poll targetting a pre-defined group of users, is no longer available. The 
New York/Silicon Valley based 
Verbatim announced their new 500GB and 1 TB hard disk drive aimed at those of us with large libraries of photos and music. The new units feature 4 different interface options: “USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and eSATA II (external Serial ATA II)“ for Mac and PC. This means whichever port you happen to have vacant, it will probably work with these drives.
Version 1.0 of 
Hey, everyone, just thought we’d let you all know that we’re currently crunching through the 
