Source: Gizmodo | 13 Jan 2009 | 6:30 am

Diapers for birds

The FlightSuit is a lycra diaper for your bird, designed not to impede flight while capturing those pesky feces and hold them at a safe distance from the little feller. Use raw, or with disposable liners.

Bird Diaper (via Red Ferret)

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Jan 2009 | 6:18 am

SD cards are exciting? SanDisk gets people fired up.

Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Peripherals, Storage, Trade Shows, CES

Click for a larger image.

SanDisk showed off its newest products, slotRadio and its one-touch backup USB drive, at that tiny event known as CES.  No one at SanDisk would give information about what compression is used on the slotRadio microSD cards that hold 1000 songs, but they had listening stations so you could hear what the sound quality. 

The compression was alright.  It sounded like higher frequencies were cut a bit.  There were huge signs for their new USB one-touch back up solution.  Most everyone has a USB thumb drive, so adding this feature is convenient and a good way to distinguish SanDisk from the rest of the world.

Lastly, SanDisk knows how to get attention.  You can see one of the pictures shows a large crowd gathered at the SanDisk stage because they were getting people fired up over free stuff.  There was a nice excitement created by the guy on stage throwing products to the crowd. 

Read: [SanDisk]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Jan 2009 | 6:17 am

Robophiliac Chinese farmer invents robotic filial piety in robot form

I love this self-made roboticist's "30 Second Son" robot (named for its mean time between failures). It pulls him around his rural Chinese village in a clanking rickshaw while making funny faces and chanting, "I'm a rickshaw-pulling robot. Wu Yulu is my Dad, I take him out about town.".That's about the perfect robotic application if you ask me. We should send one to Mars. Wu Yulu, the inventor, has lost a house and a wife to his robotphilia (the wife came back),

Chinese farmer robot inventor (via Dvice)

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Jan 2009 | 6:16 am

Pneumatic tube-based postal systems of the late 19th century

Molly Steenson gives us a glimpse of her forthcoming thesis on "postal services and pneumatic tube systems in the late 19th and early 20th century, especially in Paris" -- the original, fascinating series of tubes:

Fueling communication through pipes that ran under cities at speeds of up to 50 km per hour, the pneumatic post served as an urban subterranean communication network from the 1850s into the early 21st century, first in Europe, then the United States, and by the early 20th century, South America and Australia. Depending on the city, pneumatic tubes shuttled telegrams or letters and packages, both commercial and personal, as an antidote to increasing urban congestion and traffic on the streets above. Messages delivered by pneumatic dispatch surfaced in post offices and train stations, where messengers carried them by bicycle (or later, motorcycle or truck) from the post or telegraph branch to their final destinations. For commercial buildings, pneumatic tubes offered ready communication systems between and within any enterprises that required the movement of receipts and paper. At once buried and tangled, emerging into the interiors of buildings and offering varied interfaces for its users, the pneumatic tube presents an enigmatic image of modernity--the merger of construction and communication.

Pneumatic networks preceded electrification, first powered by steam and only by electricity in the early 20th century. They enjoyed a long lifespan. Implemented first in London in 1853 as an information conduit between the London Stock Exchange and the Central Post Office, the technology quickly transferred to other cities. Berlin began its Rohrpost in 1865; Paris built its first pneumatic networks in 1866 and began public Poste Pneumatique in 1879; Philadelphia followed suit for first class post in 1893 and New York in 1897. Urban tube networks existed for a surprisingly long time, remaining in operation until 1953 in New York, 1984 in Paris and 2002 in Prague (where it was only taken out of service by a flood that destroyed much of the tube infrastructure).

Postal services and pneumatic tubes (via Beyond the Beyond)

Update: Molly adds, "the image you used is actually from the Hotel des Postes in Paris and has nothing to do with tubes. It was used for processing mail -- in order to get the mail to the basement without causing the postal sacks to explode, the architect, Julien Guadet, designed the chutes you see in that picture. The center of the chutes is an elevator, used to move the post for sorting. I'll post more about that soon."

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Jan 2009 | 5:41 am

Auction Watch: Pure White DS signed by Shigeru Miyamoto

FROM GAMERTELL - Here is a treat for all you collectors out there. Currently there is an auction for a Nintendo DS autographed by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind classic game franchises including Mario Bros., Zelda. . . MORE »

Source: Gizmodo | 13 Jan 2009 | 5:30 am

AT&T and DirecTV may partner with Hava to fight Dish

Section: Video, Accessories, DVD/DVR/Blu-ray, Trade Shows, CES

Competitors of Dish are scrambling to figure out what to do now that the SlingLoaded 922 has hit.  While every major company offers a DVR, there’s only one that can placeshift without additional hardware and that’s Echostar’s Dish.

Hava, a Slingbox competitor, told Gadgetell that they were working with major companies like AT&T and DirecTV.  Both companies have given positive feedback on Hava’s products.  The two companies need to deploy a service like Dish has in order to remain competitive. 

The television service business has been extremely competitive in the past several years with the widespread acceptance of satellite as a legitimate alternative to cable and the entry of telecoms like Verizon and AT&T in the market.  For the most part, the consumer has benefited with the companies cutting prices and offering so many different service packages. 

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Jan 2009 | 5:09 am

Personality Testing For Employment

Thelasko writes "While I was in college, I had the opportunity to take an elective course in Industrial Psychology. One section of the course covered hiring practices and the validity of 'personality testing' to screen applicants (Google link for non-subscribers). The Wall Street Journal has a long article discoursing on how such tests are used in today's economy. While personality tests may be designed to uncover underlying personality traits such as honesty, critics claim that the tests instead reward cheaters." The article talks mostly about the tests' use in winnowing candidates for retail positions — deciding whom to interview. Anybody encountered them in an IT or more technical context?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Gizmodo | 13 Jan 2009 | 4:43 am

Get distracted with D-Link’s Sideshow

Section: Peripherals, Displays/Projectors, Trade Shows, CES

Everyone likes to multi-task when they are working on their computers.  You may end up stopping in the middle of your work, to check your email, send an IM or watch a video on YouTube.  With the new D-Link SideStage, you can free up your main computer monitor and offload some stuff to a side monitor.

The SideStage has a 7-inch screen and receives power over USB.  You can run your normal Windows applications on your main monitor and then use the SideStage for tasks like instant messaging, video conferencing, widgets, and viewing videos.  D-Link hopes that this can help users increase productivity by having multiple viewing screens to work off of.  The SideStage will allow you to access other applications that are usually hidden behind larger Windows applications.

The LCD screen features 800 x 480 resolution.  It will also be compatible with almost all types of CRT and flat screen monitors.  D-Link has also taking steps to create more green products, so the SideStage will have low power consumption. 

Pricing information has yet to be provided for the SideStage and it will only work with PCs and not Macs.  It is expected to be released within the year.

Read [D-Link]

Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Jan 2009 | 4:18 am

Vcommerce Corporation and CrossView, Inc. Form Strategic Partnership for End-to-End eCommerce Solutions

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Jan 2009 | 4:00 am

The Buffalo Beast's 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2008

The Buffalo Beast has published its annual "50 Most Loathsome People in America" list.

21. Michelle Malkin

Charges: It's a remarkable achievement in unconscious projection that the author of a book called Unhinged could lose her fucking marbles over a patterned scarf in a donut ad, but that's what Michelle Malkin did when she sounded the nutbar clarion call and sicced her half-cocked league of masturbators on Rachel Ray and Dunkin Donuts for the flatly absurd notion that they were sending a message of solidarity with Palestinians. Right, Michelle -- you just can't sell donuts without joining the intifada these days. What did the nauseously spunky Ray do to incur the wrath of the Malkinoids? She wore a black and white scarf. A paisley scarf. A scarf that was clearly not a kaffiyeh, which, by the way, is just a hat that Arabs wear, not some universal symbol of jihad. In terms of completely false outrage, the only thing that rivaled this travesty of reason this year was the "lipstick on a pig" metaphor panic. But what puts this embarrassing sham over the top is that Dunkin Donuts actually apologized and pulled the ad, rather than try to explain to the fact-phobic horde that they were just blind, raging idiots with the collective brain-power of a lobotomized howler monkey.

Exhibit A: "If your neighbor's got an "Obama '08" bumper sticker or lawn sign, you might want to double-check your door locks at night."

Sentence: Deported to China for wearing red T-shirt.

The Buffalo Beast's 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2008 | Mirrored here



Source: Gizmodo | 13 Jan 2009 | 3:30 am

Chumby everywhere?  Chumby looks for partners

Section: Gadgets / Other, Household, Lifestyle, Trade Shows, CES

Click for a larger image.

Chumby may be working with Samsung and Sony, but it doesn’t look like they’re expanding their line up any time soon.  The smallish Chumby booth had rows of picture frame like devices running the open Chumby operating system.  These devices were shown because Chumby is fishing for partners. 

These were reference designs for other manufacturers to buy things.  When I arrived, one company was very curious about what the Chumby could do. 

The Sony product that ran Chumby was a design study and was not necessarily a product yet.  We’ll get you more information on the Sony/Chumby relationship soon. 

I got to ask questions I’ve always wanted to ask of Chumby, “Why isn’t the Chumby battery powered?“  “Why is the Chumby covered in soft material?“  Well, the answers are pretty simple.  Since the device is an always-on Internet connected device, there isn’t an easy way to power the Chumby without going through a lot of batteries.  However, there were some hacks that allow for a battery powered Chumby out there.  The Chumby rep I spoke thought that wireless charging may be a good solution for Chumby. 

As to its squishy exterior, the Chumby is meant to be fun and approachable. It is kind of designed to be the anti-silver and black device.  WIth more and more connected devices and soon wireless power coming, expect more devices running Chumby soon.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Jan 2009 | 3:15 am

Call For Grant Proposals In Perl Development

On Elpeleg writes "The Perl Foundation is giving out grants for Perl development ranging from $500 to $3,000 in February 2009. You neither need to have a large, complex, or lengthy project nor be a Perl master or guru. You are encouraged to submit a proposal if you have a good idea and the means and ability to accomplish your Perl project. The deadline for proposal submissions is January 31, 2009."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Jan 2009 | 2:56 am

Revealed: The Times Made Up That Stuff About Google And The Tea Kettles

Yesterday an article in The Times of London set the web abuzz over new findings that every Google search contributed 7 grams of CO2 to the atmosphere - half the amount produced when heating a tea kettle (heaven forbid!). I criticized the article for being overly alarmist, with a lack of perspective and possible bias. Google also responded, effectively denouncing the claim.

At the heart of the story was a young physicist named Alex Wissner-Gross, who, according to the article, says “that performing two Google searches uses up as much energy as boiling the kettle for a cup of tea”. This sentence alone was enough to rile up reporters around the globe, and has now been repeated in hundreds of articles worldwide.

Unfortunately, according to Wissner-Gross he never said anything of the sort. For starters, he says he would never refer to any sort of measurement having to do with tea (he’d go with coffee). But his findings have nothing to do with Google as a company, either - they’re concerned with much more generalized stats, like your computer’s rate of CO2 production when you look at a webpage.

Wissner-Gross says that the widely circulated 7 gram/search figure came from some other source (he’s not sure where), and notes that if you read the article carefully it only makes it sound like it’s from his data. He has confirmed that he did make some vague statements regarding Google, including “A Google search has a definite environmental impact” and “Google operates huge data centers around the world that consume a great deal of power”. But the “tea kettle” statistic that has been repeated ad nauseum simply isn’t his. After learning of the misleading story, Wissner-Gross says that he contacted The Times and was assured that it would be fixed by Sunday morning. No corrections have been made.

Another concern I had with The Times article was that it neglected to accurately describe Wissner-Gross’s company, CO2Stats. The startup allows companies to purchase renewable energy to neutralize their website’s environmental impact and get “Green Certified” badges to display on their homepages. Because of this potential conflict of interest, Wissner-Gross’s affiliation with the company should have been described in the article, but was only mentioned in passing. Again, it seems like The Times was at fault here, as Wissner-Gross says that he described the purpose of CO2Stats and his role there in detail, though it seems to have been largely ignored by the reporters in question.

He may have been misquoted, but Wissner-Gross hasn’t failed to capitalize on the article - he’s spent the majority of the day conducting interviews with news publications as well as radio and television shows, and CO2Stats will likely see a boost (as will the Green IT movement in general).

This isn’t the first time in recent memory that The Times has been mistaken about a tech story - in late November the newspaper incorrectly reported on a complicated and fictional Yahoo/Microsoft search arrangement.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Source: TechCrunch | 13 Jan 2009 | 2:48 am

Australia Offers Best Blogging/Snorkeling Job In The World

It’s an attention-seeking gimmick, but it’s a good one. Australia’s Tourism Queensland is looking for a caretaker to live on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef. Job duties include fish feeding, snorkeling and blogging about your experience.

Pay? AU$150,000 for six months (about $100,000). Plus “return airfares from your nearest capital city (in your home country), accommodation and transport on Hamilton Island, travel insurance for the contract period, computer, internet, digital video and stills cameras access, plus travel to a number of the other Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.”

You can apply here. Applications are due by February 22.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Source: TechCrunch | 13 Jan 2009 | 2:31 am

Uh oh - AMD’s new processors are no match for last year’s Intels

While it has been a sort of unspoken truth that AMD has ceded the performance cup to Intel over the last couple years, they’ve instead provided an extremely compelling value option, with their processors doing nearly the work of the more expensive Intels for far less money. The new Phenom II processor was to be the keystone in AMD’s new Dragon platform, and while the other features of the platform are still great, it looks like the new processor isn’t going to bring any competition to the table.

Recent tests at two of my favorite hardware sites, TweakTown and HardOCP, put the Phenom II at just over the old Phenom, and just below Intel’s best Core2s. Ouch. If it weren’t enough that it doesn’t beat what it’s replacing by much, it can barely hit the performance levels of last year’s Intels. And that’s without mentioning the Core i7s, which of course cost twice as much, but show such a huge performance lead that you start wondering which is actually the bargain.

The rest of the Dragon suite of features is still worth looking at, though. It may still be that your system would run better with AMD hardware, depending on what you’re doing. But given the performance gap, that group is distressingly small. Here’s hoping AMD’s still-very-competitive video cards will keep them solvent until they can pull out something bigger in the processor arena.

Update: A commenter points out Anandtech’s review, which is considerably more favorable (I should have included it to begin with). Still, I see my own processor (a Core2 Duo E6750) competitive with the Phenom II on most of their tests, and that’s not exactly tops. I should also mention that the Phenom II is supposed to be a fantastic overclocker.

Source: CrunchGear | 13 Jan 2009 | 2:30 am

iFrogz contest winner

Thanks for your opinions on the best of CES in the comments at the contest. It looks like the biggest winners of CES, according to you guys, are the Palm Pre, the LG Watchphone, and the Asus Keeeboard, or whatever you guys felt like calling it.

But there can be only one, and his name was Bobert. This was determined by Random.org, you guys weren’t being graded or anything. I’m going to start a new contest tomorrow for a CES bag + swag, so keep your eyes open. Congrats to Bobert, and thanks to iFrogz for providing the prize.

Source: CrunchGear | 13 Jan 2009 | 2:15 am

Novint Falcon controller coming to consoles, maybe

It’s true. Well, sorta. CEO Tom Anderson reportedly said that they are trying to get the Falcon controller ported over by the end of 2009. This would be excellent, because while expensive, the Falcon controller is considered to be the best thing out there for many games, including the excellent Left 4 Dead title.

Currently, there’s not a whole lot of information available, however console manufacturers were apparently waiting to see if there was much demand for the controller before starting the process of licensing it. That makes sense.

Source: CrunchGear | 13 Jan 2009 | 2:00 am

Making sauerkraut is easy

It's so easy and fun to make sauerkraut that there's really no good excuse to buy it from a store. Plus, home made sauerkraut is full of living microbes that might be good for you. (Read news reports that kimchi -- spicy korean sauerkraut -- could be a bird flu remedy.)

Store bought sauerkraut is often not even real sauerkraut -- it's just cabbage soaked in salty vinegar. Even store bought brands of sauerkraut made from lacto-fermentation have usually been cooked to the point that they're no longer alive.

I've been making my own sauerkraut for years, based on my grandmother's "recipe" (it's hard to call it a real recipe, when the only ingredients are cabbage and salt), which is pretty much the same recipe found in the wonderful book, Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Ellix Katz. This book shows you how to make a wide variety of fermented foods: beer, wine, mead, miso, tempeh, sourdough bread, yogurt, cheese, and other more exotic foods. Katz, a long term HIV/AIDS survivor who lives on a queer intentional community in Tennessee, is a "fermentation fetishist." In the introduction to his book, he writes:

Wild fermentation is a way of incorporating the wild into your body, becoming one with the natural world. Wild foods, microbial cultures included, possess a great, unmediated life force, which can help us adapt to shifting conditions and lower our susceptibility to disease. These microorganisms are everywhere, and the techniques for fermenting with them are simple and flexible.

Wild fermentation involves creating conditions in which naturally occurring organisms thrive and proliferate. Fermentation can be low-tech. These are ancient rituals that humans have been performing for many generations. They are a powerful connection to the magic of the natural world, and to our ancestors, whose clever observations enable us to enjoy the benefits of these transformations.

Recently, I made a 3-quart batch of sauerkraut from two heads of purple cabbage, weighing about 2.5 lbs per head. Here's how I did it:

Tools and ingredients: Sharp knife, 1-gallon stoneware fermenting crock (I bought one online from Simply Natural Foods for $30.50), wooden lid for 1-gallon crock, scrubbed and boiled rock to weigh down wooden lid, large plastic bowl, cutting board, something to mash the cabbage down into the crock (I used a 1-quart mason jar, you can use your fist if you want), 2 heads of cabbage (5 lbs), 3 tablespoons of non-iodized salt (sea or kosher).

You don't need to buy a starter culture -- there are lactic acid bacteria floating around in the air ready to go to work on the cabbage. I find that amazing.

For the rest of the instructions and lots of pretty (and one gruesome) photos, click the link below.

Steps:

1. Cut the cabbage into thin slices, then break apart and put into bowl. I usually cut a few slices, break them up, put them in the bowl, sprinkle in some salt, stir it up and repeat. Here's a photo of the salted cabbage:

2. Put the salted cabbage into the crock one handful at a time, mashing it down as you go along. It's important to pack it as tightly as you can, because that way the salt will draw out the water from the cabbage so fermentation can occur.

3. When all the cabbage has been packed into the crock, put the wood cover on it. If you don't have a cover, try a plate that fits, or a plastic bag filled with water.

4. Put a rock on top of the cover. The idea is to keep the sauerkraut submerged under the brine, because lacto-fermentation is anaerobic. If the cabbage is exposed to the air, scum will grow on it. Cover it with a cloth and put the crock somewhere out of the way. Once or twice a day, push on the rock to smash the cabbage down.

5. Unicorn chaser alert! About a week into the fermentation process, I removed the rock and was treated to this delightful sight. In Wild Fermentation, Katz writes: Many books refer to this mold as "scum," but I prefer to think of it as a bloom." I skimmed the stuff off, put the rock back on the wood disk, and covered it with the cloth.

6. Another week went by, and I decided to try the sauerkraut. The wooden disc had become so waterlogged and swollen that I couldn't lift it out of the crock. I had to make hooks out of a clothes hanger, insert the hooks into the hole of the wooden disk, and tug it out. It took quite a bit of effort to get it out, but look at the pretty magenta tint it received from soaking in the brine for 2 weeks!

7. The sauerkraut fit into three 1-quart mason jars, which I put in the refrigerator. I have some at least once a day, and frequently I have three servings a day. It lasts a long time around here because my wife and kids won't touch it. They do like pickles, however. I think I'll have to make some sour cucumber pickles using lacto-fermentation so they can join me in being a fermentation fetishist.

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Jan 2009 | 1:53 am

HAVA: Remotely watch TV together and record to iTunes

We’ve covered the HAVA set-top box from Monsoon Multimedia before. Their SlingBox-like device does… uh… what a SlingBox does. It lets you remotely watch your home TV channels from anywhere with an internet connection. Now, they’ve got some more tricks up their sleeve. 

The first thing is that they have added an iPhone player to Windows Mobile, and Symbian S60 mobile players. Their HAVA Player for iPhone will let people view and control their home TV, satellite box, DVR, etc.

They also have iTunes integration. Using a separate application called Monsoon export to iTunes users will also be able to export content from their DVR to iTunes. For watching offline.

The last thing is SociableTV. HAVA owners will now be able to share what they are watching with their friends on SociableTV.com.

These applications should be available this year for free. Export to iTunes should drop sometime this quarter and HAVA player for iPhone and SociableTV should follow second quarter.

Source: CrunchGear | 13 Jan 2009 | 1:32 am

Video: BFG Tech’s on-case LCD screen

Dang, I knew there was something I’d forgotten. Actually there were about a billion things I’d like to have gotten to or played with more at CES, but this is one of the big ones. After I saw the setup in high res (it was leaked early), I wanted to make a point of dropping by on the show floor. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to, but PC Perspective dropped by and got good video of the thing, and it looks great.

Source: CrunchGear | 13 Jan 2009 | 1:19 am

In-Depth With the Windows 7 Public Beta

Dozer writes "With the Windows 7 public beta out, Ars Technica has an in-depth look at the release. There's praise for Windows 7's UI changes and polish as well much-needed changes to UAC, but also a warning that those who have problems with Vista won't like Windows 7 much better. 'If you couldn't stand Vista's UI (whether it's because you didn't like Explorer, Aero, Control Panel, UAC, or anything else), Windows 7 is unlikely to do much to help, as it builds on the same UI. If Vista's hardware demands were too steep, Windows 7 will likely cause you the same grief, as its hardware demands match. And if Vista didn't work with a program or device you need to use, Windows 7 will offer no salvation, as its compatibility is virtually identical.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Jan 2009 | 1:06 am

SCO reorganization proposed (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - As part of a proposed reorganization following its bankruptcy filing, SCO plans a public auction of its mobile business and its Unix OpenServer business, the company said on Monday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 Jan 2009 | 1:00 am

Today on Offworld

Today on Offworld we saw Super Mario in real life (with a guest appearance by.. Obama?), a new blog for cult Super Nintendo game Earthbound, still waiting for its long overdue official revival in the West, and listened to the soundtrack for one of our most anticipated DS games, EA's Henry Hatsworth. We also saw what happens when Mega Man takes on every boss character at once, looked at an indie community's fantastic mutual effort to create a 2D platformer engine and looked back at Klonoa, one of Namco's most underappreciated franchises, saw an awesomely retro-futurist version of Pong coming to WiiWare as part of a new PixelJunk-esque art-game series, and, as above, saw the first gorgeous Audrey Kawasaki-esque concept shots of Marian, the first full debut game from indie dev Infinite Ammo.

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:36 am

Pre-natal test may detect autism

British researchers say high levels of testosterone discovered during pre-natal testing may indicate a risk of autism. Cambridge University scientists say the testosterone levels were determined using amniotic fluid removed from pregnant mothers through amniocentesis, which is used to detect Down syndrome in unborn infants, the Guardian newspaper reported Monday. Lead researcher Simon Baron-Cohen said there needs to be a debate over the consequences of testing for autism.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:33 am

Today on Offworld

Today on Offworld we saw Super Mario in real life (with a guest appearance by.. Obama?), a new blog for cult Super Nintendo game Earthbound, still waiting for its long overdue official revival in the West, and listened to the soundtrack for one of our most anticipated DS games, EA's Henry Hatsworth.

We also saw what happens when Mega Man takes on every boss character at once, looked at an indie community's fantastic mutual effort to create a 2D platformer engine and looked back at Klonoa, one of Namco's most underappreciated franchises, saw an awesomely retro-futurist version of Pong coming to WiiWare as part of a new PixelJunk-esque art-game series, and, as above, saw the first gorgeous Audrey Kawasaki-esque concept shots of Marian, the first full debut game from indie dev Infinite Ammo.

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:26 am

Trimble Statement on Dennis Workman Academic Credentials

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) today issued the following statement in response to inquiries and press reports on the academic credentials of Dennis Workman.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:26 am

Seagate replaces CEO, plans to cut 800 workers (AP)

AP - Seagate Technology has replaced its top two executives and said it plans to cut 800 jobs — 10 percent of its U.S. work force — as the hard drive maker endures a bruising slowdown in technology spending. Its stock fell more than 15 percent.

Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:21 am

Bats Inspiring Future Micro Unmanned Aircraft

coondoggie writes "It's not the first time researchers have tried to emulate flapping as a way to fly aircraft, but US Air Force-funded researchers are now looking at how bats move to help them develop future micro-aircraft. According to these researchers, birds, bats, and insects have some highly varied mechanical properties that researchers have so far not utilized in engineering flight vehicles. The idea is to reproduce bat mechanics and develop technology could lead to small, remote controlled aircraft able to move in places where fixed-wing aircraft have a hard time — like the interiors of buildings, caves, or tunnels."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:18 am

Protect Yourself from Stalkers

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 10 percent of women and two percent of men in the United States have been stalked with an average risk of physical violence incidence of nearly 40% - Rosenfeld, B.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:12 am

The Photo Marketplace That Never Launched: Flickr Stock

In late 2007 Flickr was strongly considering creating a marketplace where users could buy and sell photographs hosted on the service. It was to be called Flickr Stock.

Then-employee Sarah Cooper worked on the project and describes (Update: it has now been removed) it as “The concept of Flickr Stock was to create an online marketplace where existing Flickr users could offer photos for sale as well as purchase photos taken by others.” Cooper worked on the project in late 2007. She also published the screen shots included in this post.

Flickr Stock would have let any Flickr user sell their photos to others, something more than a few people think is a good idea.

But Flickr abandoned the idea in early 2008 and decided instead to partner with Getty Images. A just launched beta program lets a handful of Flickr photographers sell their images on the Getty Images website. That program is being expanded and should launch in the next couple of months, Flickr General Manager Kakul Srivastava told me this afternoon.

Frankly, Flickr Stock seems like a lot more fun to me. The barrier between professional and amatuer photography has steadily been eroded exactly because of sites like Flickr. Giving those photographers a chance to try to sell their stuff is a good way to generate even more growth. The Getty program is great but it effectively turns Flickr into the minor leagues where talent can be spotted and whipped away.

Update: From Flickr:

Just saw your post and wanted to clarify what our initial round of Getty invites has involved, as those who have received invites aren’t actually able to sell their photos yet.

The editors at Getty Images have recently sent a preliminary set of invitations to be part of the collection to a small group of Flickr members. The photos are being chosen based on Getty Images’ expertise in licensing digital content and insight into customers’ needs. The photos will be for sale when the full collection launches.

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Source: TechCrunch | 13 Jan 2009 | 12:07 am

Exactly what would a Presidential mobile look like?

Apropos of the ongoing ruckus about President-elect Obama’s BlackBerry — the so-called “BarackBerry” — an interesting question is coming to the fore: why is the President, or even a prominent Senator for that matter, using a civilian mobile phone? With matters of national security, policy, and locations of our most powerful citizens being beamed through the air, it behooves us as a technologically savvy country to provide a cellular solution for heads of state that doesn’t have to be worried about.

It’s led us to a long discussion and rumination: exactly what would such a phone look like? What would it do and not do? What services would be available? And who would make it?

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:32 pm

Congressman Wants Health Warnings On Video Games

An anonymous reader writes "California Rep. Joe Baca has proposed a bill which would mandate placing health warning labels on any video game rated T (13+) or higher by the ESRB. The Video Game Health Labeling Act of 2009 would require a cigarette pack-like label that reads, 'WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:32 pm

Exactly what would a Presidential mobile look like?

Apropos of the ongoing ruckus about President-elect Obama's BlackBerry — the so-called "BarackBerry" — an interesting question is coming to the fore: why is the President, or even a prominent Senator for that matter, using a civilian mobile phone? With matters of national security, policy, and locations of our most powerful citizens being beamed through the air, it behooves us as a technologically savvy country to provide a cellular solution for heads of state that doesn't have to be worried about. It's led us to a long discussion and rumination: exactly what would such a phone look like? What would it do and not do? What services would be available? And who would make it?

Source: TechCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:31 pm

Exactly what would a Presidential mobile look like?

Apropos of the ongoing ruckus about President-elect Obama’s BlackBerry — the so-called “BarackBerry” — an interesting question is coming to the fore: why is the President, or even a prominent Senator for that matter, using a civilian mobile phone? With matters of national security, policy, and locations of our most powerful citizens being beamed through the air, it behooves us as a technologically savvy country to provide a cellular solution for heads of state that doesn’t have to be worried about.

It’s led us to a long discussion and rumination: what would such a phone look like?

Impenetrable

The major complaint against Obama’s BlackBerry is security. This is more of an infrastructure complaint. The presidential mobile would likely be BlackBerry-esque but not working through the RIM network, which, while relatively secure, is far from impregnable — especially when the target is a such a hot one. What is needed is for the Office of the President to get special access to a military, or at least military-grade, network or VPN, whereby all his traffic is obscured, redirected, and encrypted to the satisfaction of a board of technological advisers. Carriers would have to be on board, obviously, but as long as the transmissions are sufficiently encrypted it shouldn’t matter whether they’re being relayed by Verizon, AT&T, or Orange.

As for locking the device itself, obviously a four-digit number or swipe pattern won’t do; it’ll need a fingerprint and voice recognition capability — we have to balance size and usability here with security, so retina or other more stringent biometrics are out of the question. How about RFID tagging the President? Somehow I doubt that’s something he’d agree to.

If an actual BlackBerry-type device was used, the government could even license the server technology from RIM and have their own servers relaying the info instead of RIM’s. Similar steps can be taken for any other service provider. After all, there’s only going to be the one device (or a few more for cabinet or whatever), so it wouldn’t be too hard to set it up.

The GPS is another issue. But once again, why should the Commander-in-Chief be using civilian GPS? Not only is it limited in precision, but it’s less secure and there’s no secret more closely-held by the Secret Service than the president’s location in times of crisis. Wouldn’t want anyone busting in the back door and making the BarackBerry ping a satellite. So again it’s a military solution. High-precision, good encryption, and only on demand GPS, activated by a password or signal only known by, say, the President, his cabinet, and military of a certain rank.

Triangulation based on cell tower connectivity is another problem, and one less tractable. Maybe have clone devices spoofing his location at all times? Maybe have the president put one of 100 SIM-type cards in every morning, each with a different ID? Tag his IMEI so any searches or requests with it are traced or blocked? Rotate the phone’s hardware identifier every few minutes? These are possible solutions, but they’d have to be investigated in detail.

All the features you need, except the App Store

What about the interface and capabilities? First, he’d want email. Obviously it wouldn’t just get president@whitehouse.gov (I have a FilePlanet account under that address), but a couple special addresses which in all likelihood already exist: probably one personal, one policy-related, and one “Batphone” style super-secret address that is likewise known by only 30 or 40 people in the world. IM? Probably not, and similarly text messaging seems superfluous. He’s just going to have to get used to tweeting from his laptop. Mapping probably won’t be necessary either; I doubt the president ever really needs to look for coffee in his area, or ask for directions. Games and random apps can probably go, although depending on what the phone runs there wouldn’t be any harm in having Tetris or things like a notepad app or to-do list on there. They could even be custom made.

Video capability would have to be there, perhaps even two-way video if they can wangle it. That might be asking too much, though. At the very least it should be able to show media like presentations, map and route information, and clips of say dignitaries he’s going to meet, or his own personal videos (why not?).

The president-elect has raised concerns about privacy. The fourth amendment applies to the Prez at least in some mutated form, and he doesn’t need people subpoenaing every email he sends to his wife and kids about this or that private matter. Yet there must be a balance, and the president can’t just have a “black” line to issue commands like “when’s that invasion of Canada happening again Colin?” or “Terminate Devin Coldewey with extreme violence.” I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t think of a way to make this part work. The machinations of government are not by and large not designed or appropriate for public consumption, so this is something that would have to be hashed out very carefully.

Boom

In case of being left at a dinner or party, it would have to have remote capabilities up the yin yang, authorized only by the President or majority of congress. They could access, delete, or possibly even destroy the phone physically based on a separate network that would have to be made impossible to block except physically. Would-be thieves would have to go underground or into a Faraday cage to avoid phone self-destruction. Local storage might be discouraged for any critical info; even a HDD that’s fallen from orbit can sometimes be resuscitated.

Made in China, probably

I guess what we’ve got is a sort of super-secure Peek with media, two-way video (maybe), and military GPS.

So what about the hardware? From all the reliance on military tech you might say the phone should just give him a piece of military hardware. The thing is, what is needed is essentially a consumer device, compact and easily usable, with military-grade capability. After all, the president doesn’t drive around in a tank and fly in a B-52; he uses modified civilian technology for all this stuff. Very heavily modified, but still. (Plus, that one on the right uses the treasonous WinMo)

I’m told that MI-6 uses Sony-Ericsson exclusively, but it wouldn’t be that hard to ask any handset manufacturer to custom-design a device or retrofit another one, maybe even depending on what the President uses. This time around it’s a Blackberry, so on November 5th someone calls up RIM and says “Give us 10 of your best guys for a government contract, and we’d like to buy a 4-year license on this and that technology.” But maybe in 2012 (or 2016!) it’s going to be a Palm device (after seeing the Pre, that’s not such a stretch) or, yes I suppose, an Apple one. So they repeat the process. Tying the government to any one manufacturer or interface designer would be, I think, a mistake.

Why not?

I believe the Obama Presidency is a good place to begin this reinvention of the President’s communications. His platform involved ideas of both online connectivity and transparency of government, and this could (if done right) dovetail with both those promises. The cost would not be that great, although for good or ill it would add a whole new layer of communication for lobbyists, lawyers, and Presdidential entourage to fill, analyze, and bring up in court. Done right, however, it could be powerful, secure, and useful. Here’s hoping they’ve got already set DARPA on it.

Source: CrunchGear | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:30 pm

Enterprise 2.0 Vendor NewsGator Gets Funding Boost (PC World)

PC World - NewsGator, a maker of hosted and on-premise social computing software for companies, has closed a US$10 million round of funding, the company announced Monday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:30 pm

Prodiance Continues Momentum in 2008, Maintains Market Leadership for Enterprise Spreadsheet and EUC Control

SAN RAMON, Calif., Jan.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:17 pm

BlackBerry 8900 availability dates leaked?

According to Berry Reporter, the 8900 will be available to T-Mobile business customers in one week. That’s Monday the 19th depending on where you are in the world. It’s said to still be on track for a nationwide launch on February 11th. Let’s hope this is true because my Curve is about to kick the bucket.

Source: CrunchGear | 12 Jan 2009 | 11:09 pm

How Microsoft Beats GNU/Linux In Schools

twitter writes "Ever wonder why schools still use Windows? Boycott Novell has extracted the details from 2002 Microsoft email presented in the Comes vrs Microsoft case and other leaks. What emerges is Microsoft's desperate battle to 'never lose to Linux.' At stake for Microsoft is more than a billion dollars of annual revenue, vital user conditioning and governmental lock in that excludes competition, and software freedom for the rest of us. Education and Government Incentives [EDGI] and "Microsoft Unlimited Potential" are programs that allows vendors to sell Windows at zero cost. Microsoft's nightmare scenario has already been realized in Indiana and other places. Windows is not really competitive and schools that switch save tens of millions of dollars. Because software is about as expensive as the hardware in these deals, the world could save up to $500 million each year by dumping Microsoft. Now that the cat is out of the bag, it's hard to see what Microsoft can do other than what they did to Peter Quinn."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 12 Jan 2009 | 10:42 pm

XACT Technology Navigates Personal Tracking Market with GPS Receiver Technology from u-blox

XACT|TRAX personal tracking device equipped with u-blox 5 positioning RESTON, Va., Jan.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Jan 2009 | 10:39 pm

Nokia cellphone market share in U.S. collapses

Nokia's lost half its American market share in 2 years. Why? Because the phone companies here won't sell its smartphones, which are designed for consumers, not carriers.

From Fortune:

Nokia also refused to cater to American phone companies' whims. In Europe and Asia, consumers usually buy phones and telephone service separately, so Nokia needs to please only the end user. In the U.S., where phones and service are sold together, carriers want control over the way the phones look and perform.

It's a sad illustration of why cellphones are mostly dull. The carriers know that consumers are happy with long contracts that more than cover the cost of handset discounts. As a result, these subsidies determine which phones consumers are prepared to buy.

For manufacturers, you do what the carrier tells you to do, or you become $800 geek chic.

Nokia's North America problem [Fortune]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 10:36 pm

Solar: Cowen Chops Estimates; Sees Slower Global Growth [Voices]

By Eric Savitz, Blogger and Columnist, Barron’s, Tech Trader Daily

Cowen analyst Robert Stone this morning cut estimates for the solar sector across the board, asserting that Street estimates for at least the first half of 2009 are too high, and there could be further downside if project credit conditions do not improve.

“Street estimates generally have Q1 revenue flat-to-up sequentially, but we see a downtick as more likely,” he writes. “The main sticking point appears to be project financing rather than the price of modules. Smaller systems are more likely to find cash buyers or owner equity financing along with renewable-specific loans in markets such as Germany and Japan. However, larger projects are likely to be hampered by tight credit and lack of third-party tax equity.”

Read the rest of this post

Source: All Things Digital | 12 Jan 2009 | 10:32 pm

Motorola to cut handset division by half?

Our compadres over at Phone Scoop have it on good word that Motorola will cut up to half of their handset division in an upcoming round of layoffs. This move wouldn’t surprise us considering the number of lackluster devices to come out of the company since the popular RAZR was released. All other divisions of Motorola seem to be in the clear.

Phone Scoop also learned that Motorola will not have a booth at this year’s Spring CTIA event, which takes place in Las Vegas. The last tidbit and quite possibly the most important is that Motorola will reduce the number of handsets released per year down to roughly one dozen. And all smartphones going forward will run the Android OS.

via Phone Scoop

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 10:27 pm

Why is finding a Jasper Xbox 360 such a pain in the neck?

What’s the easiest way to ensure that the Xbox 360 you’re buying is one of those Jasper ones, one with a 65nm CPU that runs cooler and shouldn’t be as susceptible to the red ring of death? On the little cutout on the back of the Xbox 360, you need to maneuver the system so that you can see the power rating. Spot a “12,1A” and the Jasper is yours. But, why wouldn’t Microsoft simply put on the front of the system a little sticker or something that says “includes new and improved Jasper CPU!”

That’s what Ars Technica wanted to know, too. So it asked one of them there group product managers, Aaron Greenberg, why Microsoft makes it so damn hard to figure out if the Xbox 360 is Jasper or not.

It looks like Microsoft doesn’t want to draw attention to the Xbox 360’s hardware problems. If they were to highlight that newer versions of the 360 (the Jaspers) are a “safer” buy, then, I don’t know, panic will ensue.

So, if you’re dead set on buying a Jasper, you’re more than likely savvy enough to Google “how to tell jasper xbox 360.” Otherwise, nope, Microsoft doesn’t want to make a big deal out of this.

Source: CrunchGear | 12 Jan 2009 | 10:20 pm

Researchers One Step Closer To Creating Life

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute are potentially one step closer to creating life. In an experiment they recently created enzymes that can replicate and evolve. 'It kind of blew me away,' said team member Tracey Lincoln of the Scripps Research Institute, who is working on her Ph.D. 'What we have is non-living, but we've been able to show that it has some life-like properties, and that was extremely interesting.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:50 pm

MAKE: television, episode 2

The second episode of MAKE: television aired on public television on Saturday. If you missed it, the whole thing is available on the show's Web site. (Above is the "Maker Profile" from the episode.) Congrats to all my colleagues at MAKE: and Twin Cities Public Television who worked on the show. It really embodies the spirit of the magazine and Maker Faire. From the description of Episode 2:

Maker Cris Benton takes spectacular aerial photographs by rigging remote-controlled cameras to high flying kites. In the Maker Workshop John Park builds a Burrito Blaster, which can propel a burrito 50 yards, and Mister Jalopy shows off his giant iPod. The Maker Channel features vegetable flutes, cool remote control robots, printer that makes designs on a cafe latte, and a stealthy technique to park anywhere for free!

"MAKE: television Episode 2: Aerial Kite Photography & Burrito Blaster"

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:48 pm

How to hallucinate with ping-pong balls and a radio

The Boston Globe kindly shows us how to hallucinate using ping pong balls and a radio, as well as other fun perceptual tricks. How to hallucinate with ping-pong balls and a radio

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:41 pm

Real multi-touch (and limitations) demo’d on the G1

We saw a Pink Floyd-themed G1 multi-touch video a little while back, but it wasn’t very illuminating. This one is much more in-depth, and the (Canadian?) narrator reminds me myself, so it was relaxing as well. Plus, his page explains in minute detail what’s going on and what we can expect from the device.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:08 pm

The Evolution of Python 3

chromatic writes to tell us that O'Reilly has an interview with Guido van Rossum on the evolutionary process that gave us Python 3.0 and what is in store for the future. "I'd like to reiterate that at this point, it's a very personal choice to decide whether to use 3.0 or 2.6. You don't run the risk of being left behind by taking a conservative stance at this point. 2.6 will be just as well supported by the same group of core Python developers as 3.0. At the same time, we're also not sort of deemphasizing the importance and quality of 3.0. So if you are not held back by external requirements like dependencies on packages or third party software that hasn't been ported to 3.0 yet or working in an environment where everyone else is using another version. If you're learning Python for the first time, 3.0 is a great way to learn the language. There's a couple of things that trip over beginners have been removed."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:02 pm

Tasmanian Tiger's Mysterious Die-Off Explained

The extinction of the Tasmanian tiger has long been a mystery -- until now.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:00 pm

Earliest Feathers for Show, Not Flight

A dino fossil suggests the earliest feathers were designed to impress, not fly.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 9:00 pm

Preventing Soil Erosion In Continuous Corn

With recent increase in the cost of energy and subsequent explorations into alternative energy sources, the increased harvest of corn residue for cellulosic ethanol production is likely in the future.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 8:16 pm

Cat Removal Devastates Island

Image Caption: View over Macquarie Island bluffs (with a small view of King penguins on the beach below). Courtesy Wikipedia
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 8:05 pm

Rumor: Large touch screen iPhone/Pre killer coming (soon?) from HTC

According to a senior Telstra exec., HTC is planning to release a touch-centric, iPhone/Pre competitor killer in Q2 2009.  The device is said to operate on a combination of Android and some HTC-made Linux tie-ins, and is expected to have the largest screen to date on any HTC device (currently 3.8″ is the biggest).

In response to seeing Palm’s newest darling - Pre - at CES 2009, Telstra executives (who claim to have already seen HTC’s yet to be released/announced mobile) said HTC’s upcoming handset is “better and more functional” and “will be a real competitor to the iPhone and the Pre.” HTC executives in attendance @ CES declined to comment.

On a side note, it is pretty amazing that the yet-to-be-released-for-6-months Palm Pre is already being grouped together with Apple’s seemingly untouchable touch phone.  Although when one device wins “Best in Show” and received the most votes in a “people’s choice” Internet poll, and was also named best product in the mobile phone and smartphone category, maybe there is some justification for the hype.

[via SmartHouse]

Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 7:22 pm

Tropical Rainforests Regrowing As People Leave

Scientists at a Smithsonian symposium reported Monday that tropical rainforests are making a comeback, but said the young vegetation may not be capable of consuming as much carbon-dioxide or sustaining as much diverse wildlife as the older trees did.The debate about the world’s tropical rainforests has gone on for years, and is the central theme of this week’s symposium at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington.The talks coincide with efforts by the international community to reach a consensus on how to best combat global warming.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 7:05 pm

Fruit Flies Put Evolution in Reverse

Will a modern organism in an ancient setting evolve in reverse? Not exactly.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 7:00 pm

13-year-old girl sends 14,528 text messages in a single month

Man alive! This young lady sent an astonishing 14,528 text messages in a single month, embarrassing her entire family, yes, but giving the New York Post the opportunity to use “lol” and “omg” in its story. It’s a great paper, really.

The girl, 13-year-old Reina, from California, sent the texts during her winter break because she was “bored.” Reading a book is out of the question for this girl, apparently.

Her dad, who’s a journalist at the local newspaper, did the math, and concluded that she must have sent 484 text messages per day. That’s one text every two minutes.

It’s a good thing her dad has the $30 AT&T unlimited text messages plan, otherwise he’d owe the company $2,905.60!

Ah, youth. The carefree days of sending text messages to your dumb friends, for no reason other than that you’re “bored.”

Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 7:00 pm

Satellite Information Helps Spanish Vineyards

Spanish researchers used a computer program able to distinguish grapevines from other crops in satellite images.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 6:55 pm

Scientists Restoring 2000 Year Old Roman Statue

A 2000-year-old painted statue is being restored to her original glory by scientists from WMG at the University of Warwick, the University of Southampton, and the Herculaneum Conservation Project.The Roman statue was discovered by the Herculaneum Conservation Project in the ancient ruins of Herculaneum, a town preserved in the same eruption that buried nearby Pompeii in AD 79.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 6:46 pm

Palm Pre pricing update: $399 is indeed sans contract

When the rumor mill set the Palm Pre pricing at $399, outcries of shenanigans were shouted through the halls of CES (and the comment corners of MobileCrunch.) It just didn’t make sense: Both Palm and Sprint need this phone to be a success - if it’s out of everyone’s mid-slump price range, it’s not going to do any good for anyone.

Turns out, the rumor was correct - but only in a very limited way. According to Mobile Review, the $399 pricepoint is one of two being considered for non-contracts, with a 2-year lock bringing it down to either $149 (if they settle on a $399 full price) or $199 (if $499.)

Come on, Sprint - get that thing onto the shelves at $149. You need this.

[Via UnwiredView]

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 6:42 pm

Microscopic Images Add Details To Scorpion Family Tree

Atlas of Scanning Electron Microscope Images of the Book Lung Published by the American Museum of Natural HistoryModern microscopy technology has allowed two scorpion biologists, Carsten Kamenz of the Humboldt University in Berlin and Lorenzo Prendini of the American Museum of Natural History, to study and document what is nearly invisible. Looking at tiny morphological features like the sculpting of the hair-like outgrowths on lamellae—structures that fold like the leaves of a book and give the scorpion respiratory system its name, the book lung—Kamenz and Prendini found a wealth of new variation that gives insight into the evolutionary relationships among scorpions. Their research, recently published in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, presents their raw data as an illustrated atlas of the book lungs of all major lineages of scorpions."The richness of morphology is a vast and still largely unexplored source of data for understanding the evolutionary relationships among organisms," says Prendini, Associate Curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the Museum. "We have not learned all we can because the more we look at morphology, the more we find."Kamenz and Prendini revisited book lung morphology for the first time since 1926 to assess whether these organs illuminate the scorpion tree of life. Book lungs allow some arachnids, including all scorpions, most spiders, and whip scorpions, to breathe air. Scorpions were traditionally placed at the base of the phylogenetic tree, as a sister group to all other arachnids, but molecular data has complicated this picture by suggesting that scorpions move higher on the tree, closer to sun spiders and daddy long legs. Consequently, the question of whether the book lung evolved once, at the base of the arachnid phylogenetic tree, or more than once, as arachnids adapted to life out of water, is unresolved.This study is the most complete review of scorpion breathing apparatus ever: 200 specimens from 100 genera in 18 scorpion families were examined. This sample represents all major scorpion lineages. Modern microscopy techniques—scanning electron microscopy—allowed Kamenz and Prendini to see detail measured in microns (or one millionth of a meter) that was impossible to observe 100 years ago.Three new traits were discovered by peering closely at the specimens: the surface sculpting of the respiratory lamellae (the leaves of the book); the edges of the leaves, within a chamber called an atrium (the pre-chamber of the book lung); and the processes on the posterior valve-like edges of the spiracles (the point at which the book lung opens to the atmosphere). The tremendous diversity of structures documented by Kamenz and Prendini is matched only by the respiratory organs of air-breathing crabs.These structures contain phylogenetically important variation at multiple branches in the scorpion tree. One striking example is the sculpting on the surface of the book lung’s leaves. While all nonbuthid scorpions have papillate trabeculae (simple or branched hair-like projections) on the leaves’ surfaces, the buthids (the venomous thick-tailed scorpions) and chaerilids have reticulate venation (a network of veins), a fundamental difference between these scorpion lineages that is independently supported by external morphology and DNA. The finding suggests that a significant change in the structure of the respiratory apparatus must have occurred early in the evolution of modern scorpions. Both conditions of the lamellar surface show additional variation that is informative higher up the branches of the scorpion tree. The data gathered by Kamenz and Prendini will be combined with DNA sequences and character traits from other parts of the scorpion anatomy to reconstruct the scorpion tree of life."The best way to understand the evolution of scorpions, like any group of organisms, is to investigate multiple lines of evidence, using the best techniques available. As the book lung study shows, we may not recognize the significance of something until we have the means to study it properly," says Prendini.Kamenz, at the Humboldt University, agrees. "Future research will confirm the importance of book lungs and other sources of anatomical data, long neglected, for reconstructing the scorpion tree."Funding for aspects of the research came from numerous sources, including the European Economic Commission Research Infrastructure Action, the German Science Foundation, the American Arachnological Society, the American Museum of Natural History, the Foundation for Research Development in South Africa, the National Science Foundation, the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, the Skye Foundation and Charitable Trust, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and the University of Cape Town.---Image 2: Distal lamellar edge of book lung in Iurus dufoureius asiaticus (20 µm) C. Kamenz
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 6:38 pm

Effort to Remove Species Creates More Problems

Trying to remove rabbits from an island reveals hazards of tinkering with ecosystems.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 6:07 pm

Extra, extra: Full 2009 HTC lineup outed (maybe)

Ah, the Interwebs.  A magical land of glorious product-outing forums like PPCGeeks, where user Arlen was kind enough to post 25 leaked images of what are supposedly HTC’s “full” 2009 lineup of devices.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot information about any of the particular handsets other than that 2 of them are apparently headed to AT&T (Topaz, Barium), 2 of ‘em are off to Sprint (Tungsten W, Jasper C), 1 to Verizon (Rhodium W), maybe 2 to T-Mobile (Tungsten, Sapphire 2.0), and a few images list the network type(s) that particular phone can operate on.

As always, take this info with a grain of salt.  See the rest of the lineup after the jump.

[via wmpoweruser]

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 6:06 pm

Tiny Capsules Deliver

A tiny particle syringe composed of polymer layers and nanoparticles may provide drug delivery that targets diseased cells without harming the rest of the body, according to a team of chemical engineers.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 5:43 pm

Study Reveals Motivating Factor for Enjoying The Present

It is common knowledge that when something becomes scarce, its value goes up. This concept does not just apply to material goods—time can be an extremely valuable commodity, especially when it is in short supply.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 5:35 pm

Why We Procrastinate and How We Can Stop

It's a new year and many of us have started thinking about various resolutions: updating that resume, cleaning out the attic, starting that exercise routine.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Jan 2009 | 5:35 pm

Post-Palm Pre, what’s up with Android?

Quo vadis, Android? You were pretty much a no-show at CES last week; the Palm Pre is now the gadget geek’s new plaything. (Even I would like to use it for a bit, and my cynicism is crippling.) Mobile World Congress—sort of like CES, but specifically for cellphones—is coming up next month. Will you be there, or be square? (See what I did there?) Australian telecom Telstra claims that its upcoming HTC, Android-based cellphone is “better and more functional” than Palm’s little upstart. Then Telstra pulls the old “oh it looks nice but it’s not available yet so maybe it’ll stink in real life.” Smacks of desperation, no?

Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Jan 2009 | 5:26 pm

A product only my cleaning girl will love: Bird Diapers

I know what Humbert Humbird is belatedly getting for Christmas. From personal sputtering experience, though, I'd add this line to the product pitch:

"Bird diapers? Why bird diapers? Well, if you enjoy having your budgerigar walk around on your face while you yodel, than you'll love bird diapers."

Only $24.99! Expect Humbert's review — transcribed from outraged squawks — in February.

Bird Diapers [Gadget Nation via Red Ferret]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 5:21 pm

My best Christmas gift: The Akribos XXIV DaVinci Skeleton Steampunk Watch

Although the woman is idiosyncratic, I have one of the coolest moms on Earth. On Christmas morning, she placed a hefty leather box on my lap. "Merry Christmas, John!" she said, giving me a kiss. "This is your big gift from your father and me." Then she perched on a chair, scrutinizing my face. Her expression was heartbreaking, so concerned and vulnerable, like someone opening themselves up to a devastating emotional blow. "Tell me if you don't like it." I opened the box. Inside, I found the Akribos XXIV DaVinci Skeleton Watch. I liked it very much indeed.

I hesitate to call it steampunk, through the degradation of the term by people like me, but my attempts at describing it otherwise only end up being laughably convoluted loop-de-loops around the term. It reminds me very strongly of Disneyland Paris' Space Mountain aesthetic, which is furnished after the spaceship design of Verne's De la Terre à la Lune... all burnished brass and exposed copper cogwork. But, of course, that's all very steampunk too.

Regardless, I am in love with the watch, and never get tired of seeing it on my wrist, tracing the swoops of its azure hands or the churning of its cogwork guts. But one of the most charming and genuinely touching moments I experienced at CES was how much other gadget bloggers admired it. Without any prompting, I was asked time and time again about it. At first, I worried that I'd have to defend the gift, but it soon became clear that my peers genuinely admired its beauty. John Biggs of Crunchgear especially fawned over it, which I took as especially flattering: the man was recently paid $300,000.00 to write a book about Marie Antoinette's watch. He knows intricate horological charm when he sees it.

It is unlikely you have a mother as wonderful as my own. Luckily, though, you can probably afford to play your own cool mom and give yourself one. The Akribos XXIV isn't outrageously priced: it's only $161.99 at Overstock.com.

Akribox XXIV DaVinci Men's Mechanical Watch [Overstock]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 4:59 pm

Boing Boing Gadgets at CES: Video Report Recap

At long last, Joel, Rob, Brownlee, and the Boing Boing Video team (myself included) have departed CES and arrived at our respective homes. While we bathe in espresso this morning, and shake off the accumulated Vegas cruft, here's a recap of our video coverage produced from the floor of the annual electronics show last week. I hope you enjoy watching our "work" as much as we enjoyed all that "hard work" together producing them. Do also check out this blog post from Q-Burns Abstract Message, whose work we used in those episodes. He runs a label called Eighth Dimension Records, and we featured other artists from that label, too. - XJ

CES Videos on Boing Boing Gadgets:

* CES Video: Asus Netbookstravaganza, with Bamboo, Gold Lamé, and Lamborghini (MP4)

* CES Video: Palm Pre Hands-On with Joel and Brownlee, post-review huddle with Ars Technica (MP4)

* Boing Boing Gadgets at CES: Video Report, Day Two (MP4)

* Boing Boing Gadgets at CES: Video Report, Day One (MP4)

Or, watch them on YouTube with goofy annotations for maximum lulz:

* BB Gadgets @CES: Asus Netbooks, with Bamboo, Gold Lamé, and Lamborghini.
* CES: Palm Pre Hands-On with Boing Boing Gadgets, post-review huddle with Ars Technica
* Boing Boing Gadgets at CES: Day 2 Report
* Boing Boing Gadgets at CES: Day 1 Report

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 4:46 pm

Real Touch: Interactive sex device syncs porn with belt-driven USB orifice (Yay!)

I didn't make it to the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo this year, which is a shame: I could have caught the introduction of "Real Touch", a belt-driven machine that, when connected to your computer via USB, simulates the mouth, vagina, or anus of a real human, matching the on-screen action from supplied pornography with sympathetic motion. A heating element brings the entire mechanism close to 98.6, while a reservoir keeps the entire unit moist while in action.

Clean-up, the traditional bugbear of sex toys, appears to be relatively easy by rinsing underneath running water and allowing the entire unit to air dry.

The Real Touch will retail for $150 and include 30 minutes of Real Touch video content, as well as lube — and free shipping — for $150. Video content will almost certainly cost more, but there are not yet prices available, as the whole system isn't quite ready for order yet.

Expect a review from me in the near future.

Real Touch product page (NSFW) [RealTouch.com]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 4:10 pm

Caterpillar D9R armored bulldozer

The Caterpillar D9 is a bulldozer, customized with armor by the Israeli Defense Forces to demolish houses, clean roads of IEDs, and clear orchards, according to Wikipedia.

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 3:44 pm

Toilet seat measures you before and after

Yanko uses a blushing anthropomorphic bunny to illustrate a concept toilet seat. The bunny sits on the toilet and — exerting itself to such an extent that it sweats out several heart-shaped blood clots — finally unspools. Afterwards, the toilet tells the rabbit how many pounds lighter they are after expelling half its lower intestine: proud of its herculean excretionary efforts, the bunny hugs itself in delight.

I'm sure we can all see the problem here: taking a dump is not the same as losing weight. But it's funny how many people out there think it is. I remember one roommate I used to have who told me, when I complained I was getting fat, to use the toilet and then weigh myself again. Inches, not pounds, people!

Toilet Seat Scale by Haikin Deng [Yanko]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 3:40 pm

Yellowstone Quakes Shake Loose Eruption Fears

A swarm of quakes at Yellowstone is a reminder of the giant volcano below.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 3:34 pm

Web 'Smell' Site Points Readers to Global Scents

A Japanese Web site pinpoints more than 160 scents around the world.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 3:34 pm

CES: Disney Zombies

CES is no stranger to zombies. Plodding, doddering half dead things, each drop of juice forcibly drained from their desiccated husks into the 1.8 million square foot vortex of tech consumerism's great embalming necropolis. It's the nature of the show: too big and sprawling and full of screaming lights and tightly packed flesh. It kills almost everyone inside just a little... but some more than others.

Still, as I wandered the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, I began noticing a pattern. While many were partially zombified, there was the occasional shambling mummy, with each step threatening to explode into a cloud of calcified dust and send their shadows skittering away in a swarm of beetles. Their eyes had no luster or joy or capacity for human feeling; their mouths slack holes from which only rattled wheezes emanated.

Each time I saw one, my eyes would instinctively go to their badges. Across the board, the deadest, most emotionless things at CES were representatives of the Walt Disney Co.

Unfortunately, by the time I'd tied together this realization, I'd seen my last walking Disney corpse. Instead, please accept this picture of Tinkerbell, who Disney has really whored up over the last few years, although I can't help but notice that her legs have been rendered with garish ineptitude: a thalidomide pixie extending her posterior for a spanking. In the age of CGI, isn't there anyone left at Disney who remembers how to draw? No wonder Disney's reps at CES are so depressed.

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 3:14 pm

Windows 7 on Vaio P

Engadget takes it for a spin. The results: it boots fast, has no Aero, is very responsive as a result, and browsing is much smoother.

VAIO P, now with more Windows 7 [Engadget]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Jan 2009 | 3:14 pm

Greenland Meltdown? Not Necessarily

Greenland's shrinking glaciers may be leading to a state where melting actually subsides.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 2:34 pm

Mystery Light Puzzles Astronomers

In a routine search for supernovae, astronomers spy a bright light they can't explain.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Jan 2009 | 2:03 pm