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Hot gaming news for the week of 1-18-2009Section:  No need to scour the internet 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 | 25 Jan 2009 | 9:09 pm GoStereo headphones double as speakersSection: Audio, Headphones, Portable Audio, Speakers
The “Tune In Tune Out” headphones run about $50, which isn’t bad given the face you’re getting a pair of headphones and a pair of speakers for that price. It’s amazing no one has thought of this idea (or put this idea into action) sooner. Having a pair of speakers on your headphones could be great for times when you want to share a track with several friends at once or even for times when you want to take your headphones off for a second, but still be able to listen to your music. Read [CNET] Full Story » | Written by Emily Price for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 25 Jan 2009 | 8:12 pm Rogue Android App Allegedly Destroying G1 Memory, Installing Adware [App Market Scam]There was a disturbance in the Android App Market today as an application called MemoryUp was allegedly erasing contacts and installing adware. The mystery is how it got there in the first place....Source: Gizmodo | 25 Jan 2009 | 4:30 pm Palm’s Rubinstein riles Apple, his former employer - Muckety
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 25 Jan 2009 | 4:15 pm PwC Auditors Arrested In Satyam Fraud Inquirytheodp writes "Indian police arrested two employees from the affiliate of PricewaterhouseCoopers who audited Satyam Computer Services, the IT outsourcing giant at the center of the nation's largest fraud inquiry. The move comes after Satyam founder Ramalinga Raju said he had fabricated $1 billion of assets and confessed to making up more than 10,000 employees to siphon money from the software company. State Farm Insurance has severed its ties with Satyam, citing uncertainty about the company's future as 'the only factor responsible for the termination of the contract,' which will reportedly affect at least 400 on-site Satyam employees. Other customers, including GE, are standing by Satyam, one of the top recipients of H-1B and L visas (so much for those $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection fees!)."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 4:07 pm Cheetah Ultra Sports Whip F-117 Snowboard Carves Up Slopes and Wallets For $1,900 [Snowboards]The folks at Cheetah Ultra Sports dedicated the last four years to hand-crafting a snowboard so perfect, it carves one-of-a-kind lines, impresses fellow riders, and bleeds your bank account...Source: Gizmodo | 25 Jan 2009 | 4:00 pm FriendFeed Hits Nearly One Million Users; Grew Tenfold In The Past Six Months
While 2008 was Twitter’s hockey-stick year, Twitter’s little brother FriendFeed is also beginning to show hockey-stick tendencies in its growth. According to comScore, FriendFeed attracted 950,000 unique visitors worldwide in December. That’s a tenfold increase since June, when comScore counted only 93,000 unique visitors worldwide (and nearly double since September, when it was 550,000). Twitter.com, by comparison, which is raising money at a $250 million valuation, has four times as many visitors (4.35 million worldwide in December). While recently there was some debate about whether Twitter has passed Digg, the real question might be whether FriendFeed can ever catch up to Twitter. At the very least, these numbers suggest that FriendFeed has global appeal. ComScore counts only 172,000 unique U.S. visitors in December. Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:40 pm FriendFeed Hits Nearly One Million Users; Grew Tenfold In The Past Six MonthsWhile 2008 was Twitter's hockey-stick year, Twitter's little brother FriendFeed is also beginning to show hockey-stick tendencies in its growth. According to comScore, FriendFeed attracted 950,000 unique...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:40 pm iPhone Bluetooth File Transfer Coming Soon (YES!) [IPhone]Trust the rogue programmers and Cydia—the independent equivalent to the iTunes App Store—to bring you one of the most awaited features ever for the iPhone: Bluetooth file transfer. As you can see in...Source: Gizmodo | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:30 pm Shareholder vows to help Bioton get new fundsWARSAW, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The largest shareholder of troubled insulin maker Bioton vowed to help it get 50 million zlotys ($14.8 million) in financing by the end of this year, Bioton said in a statement...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:23 pm Obama To Launch Website For Tracking Tax Expendituresinternationalflights tips news that Barack Obama, in his first weekly address as President, has mentioned plans to set up a website for tracking "how and where we spend taxpayer dollars." Details about the website, Recovery.gov, are available within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PDF). The website "shall provide data on relevant economic, financial, grant, and contract information in user-friendly visual presentations to enhance public awareness of the use funds made available in this Act," and will also "provide a means for the public to give feedback on the performance of contracts awarded for purposes of carrying out this Act." The site itself currently contains a placeholder until the passage of the Act.Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:01 pm Limited Edition Black and White Pentax K2000 DSLR Priced Lower Than Expected [DSLRs]That slick-looking white limited edition Pentax K2000 DSLR we previewed and drooled all over in December got official pricing and availability info this weekend, and it was much less than we...Source: Gizmodo | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:00 pm Hospital fetish restaurant in LatviaMarilyn points us to Hospitalis in Riga, Latvia, a hospital themed restaurant where, "the food is served in syringes, flasks and operating-room dishes, and customers can be tied up in straight jackets." The waitresses all wear fetish-nurse outfits and Milla-Jovavich-in-Fifth-Element red wigs:Hospirestaurant - Hospital Themed Restaurant in Latvia (Thanks, Marilyn! Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:57 pm Hospital fetish restaurant in LatviaMarilyn points us to Hospitalis in Riga, Latvia, a hospital themed restaurant where, "the food is served in syringes, flasks and operating-room dishes, and customers can be tied up in straight jackets...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:57 pm Happy 25th Birthday, Apple Macintosh! - E Canada Now
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:54 pm Graffitied Love Declarations - This Valentine's Day, Express Yourself With Aerosol (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) We all loved the guerrilla sunshine-spreading article, and I love this tagged series of I love you declarations too. All of these images come from around the world and I just really...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:39 pm The Simpsons Street Art - Rebellious Cartooned Graffiti That Would Make Bart Proud (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) I have posted about Blams Sesame Street graffiti before but he is not alone with taking inspiration from cartoons, as this glorious yellow-tinted selection of The Simpsons street art...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:19 pm T-Mobile G1 Mobile Phone To Get Android Update - NewsOXY
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:17 pm Paper Jam Boy! Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:13 pm New York in WinterThere was a patchwork of empty seats all over Madison Square Garden for the Friday night Knicks game; I'd had no trouble getting four good tickets online a few days earlier; used to be you had to go to...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:13 pm Windshield-Inspired Mirrors - Wiper Mirror Provides a Squeaky Clean Bathroom Solution (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Who would have thought that by adding an ugly part of a car (a windshield wiper) to an everyday item from the bathroom (a mirror) that you could have something so beautiful? Thankfully,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:59 pm Monster.com Data Stolen, Won't Email Userschiguy writes "There's been another break-in at Monster.com. It's surprising that there are still unencrypted passwords stored in database despite the previous hack, as is the decision to not email users — presumably so that no one will make a fuss. From PC World: 'Monster.com user IDs and passwords were stolen, along with names, e-mail addresses, birth dates, gender, ethnicity, and in some cases, users' states of residence. The information does not include Social Security numbers, which Monster.com said it doesn't collect, or resumes. Monster.com posted the warning about the breach on Friday morning and does not plan to send e-mails to users about the issue, said Nikki Richardson, a Monster.com spokeswoman. The SANS Internet Storm Center also posted a note about the break-in on Friday.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:56 pm Gene's Past May Improve Rice's FutureWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In an effort to improve rice varieties, a Purdue University researcher was part of a team that traced the evolutionary history of domesticated rice by using a process that focuses on one gene. Scott A.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:50 pm Lasers Used to Measure Tropical Forest ChangesHILO, Hawaii -- New technology deployed on airplanes is helping scientists quantify landscape-scale changes occurring to Big Island tropical forests from non-native plants and other environmental factors that affect carbon sequestration. U.S.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:50 pm Valentines Day is OverSource: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:47 pm Hearing With Your FaceNew Haven, Conn. -- The movement of facial skin and muscles around the mouth plays an important role not only in the way the sounds of speech are made, but also in the way they are heard according to a study by scientists at Haskins Laboratories, a Yale-affiliated research laboratory.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:45 pm Last of 48 stranded whales dies in AustraliaThe last of 48 sperm whales beached in southern Australia died on Sunday despite efforts to rescue it from among the bodies of its dead companions, officials said. "Obviously we were...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:43 pm Power Plant-Inspired Mugs - 'Chimney Cups' Fused to Saucers to Keep Fidgety Hands Quiet (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Just imagine preparing a nice hot cup of tea for you and your grandmother and not having to worry about that awful clanging noise of the cup and saucer as you prepare to serve them...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:39 pm Sweaty Workout Lookbooks - Get Moving With the Dolce & Gabbana Gym 2009 Collection (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) After using the Milano Beach Soccer team to model their previous Gym collection, Dolce & Gabbana return to professional models in the lookbook of their Gym 2009 Collection. Available...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:19 pm 15 Easy Ways to Brighten Someone's Day - Simple Sunshine-Spreading You Can Do Today (CLUSTER)(TrendHunter.com) Its easy to spread doom and gloom, especially when a souring economy is on everyones mind. But what about spreading sunshine instead? It takes just as much effort, and has the added...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:59 pm UPDATE 1-Petrofac wins $2.3 bln Abu Dhabi contractLONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Oil & gas company Petrofac said on Sunday it had won a $2.3 billion contract from Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations for the development of the onshore Asab oil...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:53 pm Microsoft To Exit the Zune Business?thefickler writes "According to Microsoft's quarterly filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Zune platform experienced a revenue drop of 54 percent, or $100 million. This compares to relatively healthy sales of the iPod, which were up 3 percent in the same period (though revenue did drop by 16 percent). Obviously, with the recent job cuts at Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, pundits are wondering how soon until the Zune also gets the chop. As one pundit wrote: 'Microsoft, by now, should be realizing that it's never going to be as "cool" as Apple, so why waste its time with the Zune where it has no competitive advantage?'"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:51 pm Petrofac wins $2.3 bln Abu Dhabi contractLONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Oil & gas company Petrofac has won a $2.3 billion contract from Abu Dhabi Company for the development of the onshore Asab oil field. (Reporting by Ben Deighton, editing...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:34 pm With No Steve Till Summer, Can Apple Keep Rolling? - MacNewsWorld
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:14 pm Gas dispute may spur plans for Balkan pipelineBUDAPEST, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine has given fresh impetus to plans to build a pipeline through Turkey and the Balkans, bringing Central Asian gas to Western Europe...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 11:54 am New Napera Beta: Get A Free 24-port Gigabit Network Switch Napera, a recent Seattle-based startup, is looking for 100 IT and Network Managers for a closed beta test of their new 24-port gigabit network switch. Details after the jump.
Napera is testing a relatively new concept--targeted security software subscriptions installed onto the network hardware. These security subscriptions recognize that different industries face different threat profiles--for example, the health industry versus the financial services industry. Each industry is also willing to pay for different levels of security. CEO Todd Hooper explained it to me:
A good analogy is the trial antivirus software that is bundled with computer. Imagine if networking hardware came with bundled security features you could activate for a trial and subscribe to remotely, rather than being a new single function box you had to buy just for this purpose. Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jan 2009 | 11:21 am Rotting ancient shipyard in Sydney Harbour: photosPatrick Borland's photo-gallery from the abandoned shipyards of Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour are a love-note to ancient, rotting machines, each more delightful than the last:Cockatoo Island Project: Photography by Patrick Boland Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 11:19 am Australian family caged, detained, starved and deported by US customsAn Australian family who traveled to the US to visit a dying relative were accused of attempting to illegally immigrate by US Customs and Border Patrol officials, who caged them, detained them, starved them overnight, and then sent them back on the next flight to Australia. The US consulate's only comment? "We reserve the right to refuse entry to visitors to the United States."A reminder to the US CBP: what you do to foreigners, their governments are apt to do to Americans. When you treat foreigners this way, you put Americans who go abroad in harm's way. Mercy dash family denied entry to US (Thanks, JK!)
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Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 11:14 am Star Wars/fine art photoshopping contest Today on the Worth1000 photoshopping contest: Star Wars mashed up with fine art. Love this Gigervader!
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Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 11:06 am Report: Kyrgyzstan under massive DOS attackGreg Walton, who is Editor of The Infowar Monitor, says:Kyrgyzstan is under a massive denial of service attack.Link to report. Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 10:00 am Carol Bartz’s First-Week-at-Yahoo Memo to the Troops [BoomTown]
With Yahoo earnings expected to be dismal when the company reports fourth quarter earnings this Tuesday afternoon, new Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz is going to have to hang tough. That threat sent little shivers up BoomTown’s spine too, which is why it must have taken so long for her first-week missive to Yahoo (YHOO) staff worldwide to get to my inbox. Well played, Ms. Bartz, well played. (Plus, I really am bad at football metaphors.) But turnabout is also fair play. And that’s why I am redoubling my efforts to bring you up-to-date news from Yahoo under Bartz’s leadership, as ATD has done so obsessively during the reigns of ex-Yahoo CEOs Terry Semel and Jerry Yang (and, if you want to really date me, Tim Koogle). In that spirit, this column broke the news last week that Zimbra founder Satish Dharmaraj and marketing exec Eric Hadley were leaving. And, the week before, that Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock was swanning around Manhattan with Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer and Time Warner (TWX) CEO Jeff Bewkes. More to come this week, for sure, as all eyes turns to Yahoo’s financial performance (which is no fault of Bartz’s, who’s just arrived but still has to deliver the news). But until then, here’s that energetic memo Bartz sent out to Yahoo troops after her first week there. From: Carol Bartz It’s Friday! Wow, this week has gone fast. I thought I’d give you a quick idea of how things went for me this week. First, a BIG thank you for all the positive comments you’ve sent my way. It has really made me feel welcome. And a special big thanks to all the guys (that’d be Willie, Anthony, Jack, Allen, Daryl, Nathan, Ali, etc.) that worked so quickly to get Judy and I up and running. I know I told you at the all-hands that I was going to be bringing my lunch. That was before I saw the cafeteria–it rocks! Forget that leftover stuff! My first impression of the Yahoos is that you guys are smart and dedicated, and have a lot of great energy with a can-do attitude (ok, maybe there’s some sucking up because I’m the boss, but it impressed the heck out of me). I wasn’t too happy to see some “inside sources” quoting my all-hands comments to the outside press–STOP IT! And while we’re on the subject of all-hands, I cancelled the regularly scheduled after-earnings meeting simply because it’s just too close to the one we just had. Don’t take it as something it’s not. I’m pumped up and proud to be here. I’m going to spend my weekend shopping for something purple (great excuse for a little retail therapy)… Carol Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jan 2009 | 9:53 am What, Me Worry? MAD Magazine Going Quarterlytheodp writes "MAD Magazine is about to put out its 500th issue, but starting with its April publication, the mag is cutting down to only four issues per year. The feedback we've gotten from readers,' quipped Editor John Ficarra, 'is that only every third issue of MAD is funny, so we've decided to just publish those.' MAD Kids and MAD Classics are ceasing publication entirely. Keep up the what-me-worry game face, Alfred!"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 9:40 am UAE mountain covered in rare snowA blanket of snow has covered a mountain in a part of the United Arab Emirates, a rare phenomenon for the desert Gulf country, according to local media report. Al-Jees mountain, 5,700...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 8:27 am Blame game as Mexico City trash piles upResidents of Mexico City face fines for failing to separate their trash as pressure mounts for the closure of the main, overweight, landfill in one of the world's largest cities. GarbageSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 7:38 am National Censorship Plan Offensive, Says Aussie Shadow Ministerdownundarob writes "Senator Nick Minchin, the Australian Shadow Minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy, has written (or more likely a staffer has written) this interesting article on the Australian Federal Government's continued zeal to enforce ISP-level filtering in Australia. In the article he posits that 'Underlying the Rudd Government's plan to screen the internet is an offensive message: that parents cannot be trusted to mind their children online.' Meanwhile, we wait for filtering trials to start, trials that have been delayed and which have next-to-no support among the industry. Telstra BigPond — Australia's largest ISP — has refused to take part, comparing internet filtering to 'like trying to boil the ocean.' The third largest, iiNet, is prepared to participate to highlight flaws."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 6:29 am Gore highlights new US push on climate changeAl Gore will exhort US lawmakers to renew US leadership on battling climate change next week, as "green" groups push for quick, sweeping action from President Barack Obama and a friendly...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 6:03 am Study suggests stun guns require trainingCustody deaths rise rapidly when law enforcement agencies begin using stun guns and fall sharply thereafter, a California study found. The research was done at the University of California San Francisco, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 25 Jan 2009 | 6:00 am Weekend Update, 1.24.09 [Digital Daily]
For a start, Media Memo notes that even though estimates for people viewing President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech hit record highs–70 million on the Web and 37.8 million on television–a Web view can’t be equated with a television viewer, so those numbers remain just estimates. One graph by which viewership can be visualized, though, is the one published by Google (GOOG) of its usage during the speech, which shows a huge dip in searches performed while people were viewing the ceremony live. The Inauguration had a profound effect on YouTube as well. Though it was perhaps the only big Web site that didn’t have a live stream during the events, its users made up for the fact by uploading videos afterwards at the incredible rate of 3.52 videos per minute. To put that in context, when Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin skits were the hottest thing on the Web, users uploaded videos at the rate of 9.9 per hour. BoomTown notes that even though he might have to give up his beloved BlackBerry, the gadget-loving President did get a completely tricked out new Cadillac limo–nicknamed the “Beast“–for his day-to-day ride. During his speech, when he was speaking of building a healthy American economy, Obama said “it will not come easy or happen overnight, and it is altogether likely that things may get worse before they get better.” This is basically the theme for the first week of earnings. As BoomTown points out, this crisis started in the financial sector, but it has ended up affecting everything, including seemingly healthy companies in the digital sector. The list gets longer every day: For the first time in 14 years, Sony (SNE) expects to report an annual loss of a staggering $1.65 billion, forcing CEO Sir Howard Stringer to plan for more drastic cutbacks than anticipated. He plans to cut 16,000 jobs and close six plants. And Ericsson? Despite reporting better-than-ever fourth quarter financials, CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg will cut some 5,000 jobs, just in case, to maintain the company’s competitive edge. Digg plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce, but still says it’ll be profitable in 2009. BoomTown liveblogged Microsoft’s (MSFT) second-quarter earnings call and reported the fallout–for the first time in the company’s 34-year history, Microsoft will lay off a significant number–5,000 workers–a more drastic headcount reduction than it’s ever seen. BoomTown also published Steve Ballmer’s full memo to the Microsoft troops about the company’s weak financial results and the layoffs to come. Maybe the only good news in the tech market this week was about Palm, which has been resurrected by its long-anticipated new handheld, the Pre. Palm (PALM) shares were up 157 percent this past week–to put that into context, the S&P was down 5.9 percent during the same period. Good news for Windows PC owners, too–and it’s about time. In Personal Technology Walt Mossberg previews Windows 7 and said that even in beta it blows Vista out of the water. In its finished form, it might even turn out to be a worthy competitor to Apple’s (AAPL) OSX Leopard. In Mossberg’s Mailbox, he answers a parent’s question about monitoring a teen’s Facebook activity. And in the Mossberg Solution, Katherine Boehret looks at some options for avoiding slow boot-up times on your computer. More next week, when hopefully the atmosphere will be a little bit more upbeat. Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jan 2009 | 5:26 am Twitter Raising New Cash At $250 Million Valuation
It’s likely they’ll raise more than the $20 million in capital they’ve taken in over two previous rounds. Their last round, raised in June 2008, was a $15 million raise from new investors Spark Capital and Bezos Expeditions. Union Square Ventures and Digital Garage increased their previous investment. Rumor is Twitter hit up more than a few venture firms to pitch the $250 million valuation, and got more than one “no.” But someone’s bit, perhaps encouraged by Twitter’s breakneck growth and the interest from Facebook. That means Twitter gets a new cash injection and time to figure out its business model at an even more leisurely pace. Update: We’ve heard from two sources the venture firm that signed the term sheet is IVP. Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0 Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jan 2009 | 4:54 am EU to pressure US, emerging countries on climate changeEager to take the lead on climate change, the European Union aims to pile pressure on the United States and big emerging countries to sign up to an ambitious strategy to reduce greenhouse...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:51 am Rick Lieder's fantastic backyard bird photos -- new book Rick Lieder, the talented sf/f artist whose backyard nature photographs have stunned me for years, has released a new book of photos of small birds on the wing, shot in his own backyard in south Michigan. Rick doesn't use fancy fast film or other high-tech treats -- instead, he just uses patience and care to capture these remarkable images. I just got a copy from Rick (I'm at a science fiction convention outside of Detroit) and discovered a lovely bonus: a short introduction by Kathe Koja, the fantastic writer, who is married to Rick.
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Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:39 am Helicopters for everyone! Could there be a more perfect 1951 Mechanics Illustrated article than "Helicopters for Everyone," which promised a vehicle thus, "The third model has corrected some of the above mentioned faults. The engine now is slung under the seat directly beneath the center of gravity. This warms the pilot in cold air and improves the machine’s balance. The model at present is being tested. There still remains, however, the sense of insecurity—of riding a flying swivel chair with no visible means of support. Pentecost and his associates are perfectly well aware of this natural reaction and have planned a weatherproof enclosure for the machine."
Helicopters for Everybody (Jan, 1951) Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:33 am Gadgetell Recession-O-Rama deals of the weekendSection: Video, HDTV, Computers, Desktops, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Peripherals, Displays/Projectors, Features, Originals  Don’t you love the prospect of saving a decent amount of money on products that you need, especially during this recession? I certainly do, and every weekend I will be sharing with you several deals on tech gadgets that are on sale. Today, I found a couple of deals ranging from GPS, to HDTVs, to monitors, and even some free Valentine cards.
GPSBuy.com has Navigon’s 2000S GPS for only $105. It usually sells for $150, but you instantly save $45, and get free shipping to boot. The 2000S comes with a 3.5 inch touch screen, 2GB of flash memory, Reality View Pro, Direct Help, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant, and text-to-speech capabilities. This is a weekend deal that ends tomorrow, 1/25.
HDTVDell has the Sharp LC42SB45U 42’‘ 1080p LCD HDTV for $1,399.00, but you can get it for $799, after using a $600 coupon. To redeem the $600 coupon, you need to enter in FDQLB?KSHR?Q02. This deal expires on January 31, or after 310 uses. The Sharp LC42SB45U features a 1920x1080 resolution, 178 degree viewing angles, Native: 2000:1 contrast ratio, a 8000:1 Contrast ratio dynamic, a brightness of 500 cd/m2, and a response time of 6.5 ms.
Computer MonitorNewegg has an Asus VH242H Black 23.6” 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor on sale for $230. With this deal, you will be saving $70, as it originally sells for $300. In addition, it comes with a brightness of 300 cd/m2, a contrast ratio of 1000:1, and built-in speakers. This is also a weekend deal that ends tomorrow, 1/25. Valentine CardsYep, it’s almost that time of year where you buy something for that special someone in your life. If the recession has you down, you may want to consider getting a few, free Valentine cards for him or her. You are able to personalize them, so they don’t have to come with cheesy messages. To redeem your cards, be sure to enter “Valentine” at the checkout. Free shipping is also available with this order, and it expires on February 1st. Hopefully these deals will help you save a little money, stay tuned for some more weekend deals. Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:33 am Atheism 2.0 -- Indonesia's nonbelievers find refuge online (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:20 am After Monty Python Goes YouTube, Big Jump In DVD SalesAn anonymous reader writes "Apparently it with the release of all of Monty Python's material on YouTube, their sales have blown through the roof on Amazon.com. It is too bad there isn't any proper news article about this, but I think it bodes well for those who champion free content. More importantly, it forces the MPAA's feet into their mouths." Not every performer (or group of performers) has the decades-strong appeal of Monty Python, but this is a great thing to see. The linked article claims that the sales increase in the Python DVDs is 23,000 percent; there are probably some other ways to figure the numbers, but a big increase is easy to see.Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 3:20 am Seattle shows little love for Lucy fossil exhibitWho loves Lucy? Far fewer people than a Seattle science center hoped when officials paid millions to show the fossil remains of one of the earliest known human ancestors. Halfway throughSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:09 am Stories From The Tell-All MySpace Book
The book, which is really being published a year too late, goes into excruciating detail about the history of MySpace, its founders Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson, and others involved in the business. Most of the details are already public knowledge, but there are a handful of facts that I didn’t previously know about. Or mere rumors that Angwin presents as facts. MySpace is quick to point out that they had no involvement in the book at all. All they’re officially saying is “This book received zero participation, zero access, and zero fact-checking from MySpace.” It’s clear from the tone of the book that Angwin’s sources are primarily or solely people who’ve left the company, many of whom have a bone to pick with MySpace or parent company News Corp. The first half of the book highlights some of the shady practices of the MySpace founders in the early days. The site launched at 5:37 p.m. on August 15, 2003 on a lark - DeWolfe was looking for a new business to replace revenue from ResponseBase, an advertising company that is alternately described as peddling spyware and spam. The original idea was to copy Friendster but let users create any online persona they chose (Friendster was deleting fake profiles as fast as they could). That freedom, combined with reasonable load times on MySpace (1-2 seconds v. 20 seconds for Friendster), allowed the nascent site to get a foothold that it is yet to relinquish. These days, Friendster has been pushed to Asia and has little U.S. presence. Tom Anderson’s real age and youthful hacker activities are well documented in the book. Anguin talks about an obsession Anderson had with “an attractive Asian-American in the finance department” that led to a request that Anderson work from home for months. She also says Anderson was involved in an Asian-focused porn site even after MySpace was acquired by News Corp., a potential PR nightmare, but that Rupert Murdoch (CEO) and Peter Chernin (COO) brushed aside concerns and swept the incident under the rug. Dewolfe is portrayed as a charismatic big picture executive who focused on growth and keeping MySpace in the Hollywood limelight. He made a crucial mistake in 2003 to start MySpace as an internal project for the company he worked for, Intermix, which cost him tens of millions of dollars down the road. But he was able to create significant independence for MySpace and the team within Intermix, including having separate offices in Santa Monica and a separate board of directors. He is portrayed as fiercely independent and unmanageable, mowing through four bosses since launching MySpace. Greenspan, Rosenblatt and Ross Levinsohn all eventually left eUniverse/Intermix/FIM. Peter Levinsohn, his current boss, has managed to keep his job. The MySpace corporate structure prior to its 2005 acquisition by News Corp. is described in detail. Ross Levinsohn, the former President of Fox Interactive Media, is given most of the credit for identifying and closing the deal from News Corp.’s side. A key part of the story is how little DeWolfe and Anderson made from that sale. The story tracks back to 2003 when they (along with other execs like Josh Berman) were owed a few hundred thousand dollars from parent company eUniverse for an earnout in connection with the earlier acquisition of ResponseBase. In the hope of getting those dollars, the team didn’t leave to start MySpace as a new startup. Instead, they launched it within a company they owned very little of. That decision would cost them tens of millions of dollars in 2005. One of the most interesting stories, however, is a report that MySpace could have acquired Facebook for just $75 million in early 2004, but passed on the deal as too expensive. Other key tidbits from the book: Tom Anderson didn’t sign up for MySpace until September 2, 2003, more than two weeks after it launched. A key competitive advantage of MySpace in the early days, the ability for users to change the html of the site, was originally a mistake. When execs saw how much people liked to fully personalize the site, they left it alone. eUniverse founder Brad Greenspan’s alleged follies and unbalanced personality are well documented, particularly his ouster by the board of directors in late 2003. Greenspan has launched a litany of unsuccessful lawsuits against various parties in the years since then. April 2004 - MySpace opens the site so that any member page could be viewed publicly (before that it could only be seen by friends). Traffic skyrockets. January 2004 - Richard Rosenblatt becomes CEO of MySpace parent company eUniverse. Has to immediately deal with an eUniverse spyware investigation by NY Attorney General Elliot Spitzer. March 2004 - Six month old MySpace surpasses Friendster as most trafficked social networking site. Revenues were $135,000/month. MatchNet makes offer to buy MySpace for $40 million. Rosenblatt renames eUniverse to Intermix Media. August 2004 - MySpace adding 23,000 new users/day and had as many as 90,000 users logged on simultaneously October 2004 - Friendster offers 50/50 merger, MySpace offers 80/20. Deal never happens. November 2004 - MySpace has 5 millionth registered account and turns its first monthly profit. November 2004 - Viacom shows interest in acquiring MySpace for $30 million - $40 million. December 2004: Intermix raises $11.5 million from Redpoint for 25% of company, valuing MySpace at $46 million. DeWolfe and other founders cash out $3 million. Unusual option put in place that defines the future of MySpace: If Intermix sells to another company, MySpace must come along and would receive a fixed price of $125 million. MySpace founders DeWolfe, Anderson and others owned 1/3 of MySpace at that time. Angwin says “In fact, it can be argued that DeWolfe’s decision to accept the fixed price of $125 million was the biggest mistake of [DeWolfe's] career.” DelWolfe negotiates separate provision giving him the right to try to sell MySpace independently from Intermix if the price was more than $125 million or if MySpace filed to go public. December 2004: NY Attorney General Elliot Spitzer prepares lawsuit against Intermix for spyware and privacy claims. Separate case against Greenspan initiated. February 2005 - MySpace traffic growing 6% per week. DeWolfe meets with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to talk about a merger, but Zuckerberg wants $75 million. DeWolfe passes. April 2005: MySpace has 13.5 million monthly visitors. In an interview with BusinessWeek, DeWolfe says “We’re crushing it.” April 2005: Spitzer demands $50 million settlement for claims and files lawsuit. Intermix has $7.5 million in cash. Rosenblatt realizes he has to sell Intermix fast. Hires Michael Montgomery as investment banker. AOL’s Jim Bankoff expresses interest in acquiring MySpace. June 2005 - Intermix settles with Spitzer for $7.5 million to be paid over three years. Greenspan later agreed to pay $740,000 in separate settlement plus $50,000 conation to antispyware efforts. June 2005: Viacom and News Corp vie for acquisition of MySpace. Viacom too slow, News Corp. does marathon weekend deal to buy company for $580 million. Ross Levinsohn from News Corp. leads deal from their side. Tom Freston leads from Viacom. MySpace hits 17.7 million unique visitors. June 2005: Intermix agrees to be bought by News Corp. for $580 million. MySpace founders share just $21.4 million. DeWolfe also gets $1.5 million for Intermix shares. Redpoint’s Yang, angry about not being told until after the deal was done, makes $65 million on $15 million investment. Angwin gives Rosenblatt huge credit for selling the company just a year and a half after taking the CEO role. July 2005: DeWolfe signs employment agreement giving him $30 million over next two years. Anderson also gets $30 million for two years. Josh Berman, Aber Whitcomb, Colin Diagiaro and Kyle Brinkman share another $15 million over two years. But biggest winner of deal is Brad Greenspan, who makes $48 million on the deal. Rosenblatt makes $23 million. Fall 2005: Viacom again loses to News Corp. in IGN acquisition. News Corp. adds 50 million unique visitors in six months of acquisitions. Fall 2005: Greenspan launches counter-bid for MySpace before deal officially closes. No one listens. Fall 2005: Levinsohn and DeWolfe meet with Zuckerberg again, who now wants at least $750 million for Facebook. No deal. November 2005: Christos Cotsakos reviews FIM as News Corp. consultant, suggests FIM isn’t a good fit for Rosenblatt.“It’s just that your future lies in another way,” he says. Rosenblatt was “crushed,” stays on as a consultant for months. (I’ve heard very different versions of how Rosenblatt left the company). April 2006: Levinsohn receives anonymous tip that Anderson is running a porn site called teamasian.com. Private investigators confirm that Anderson was involved in it and had received checks from it. Chernin confronts Anderson, who says he never cashed the checks. Levinsohn suggests moving Anderson to China. Chernin and Murdoch disagree and sweep it under the rug. July 2006: MySpace has 54 million unique visitors. MySpace buts search out to bidding, gets $450 from Microsoft, $750 from Yahoo, nothing from Google. FIM exec Jim Heckman leads negotiations, Angwin says. He gets Microsoft up to $1.12 billion but too many string attached. Accepts revised Google bid of $900 million November 2006: Chernin moves to oust Ross Levinsohn, who leaves later that month. Peter Levinsohn, Ross’ cousin, replaces him and is DeWolfe’s fourth boss since 2003. MySpace dethrones Yahoo as most trafficked website on Internet. Mid 2007: Rosenblatt buys back most of Intermix’s assets, other than MySpace and a wrinkle cream business, for $18 million for Demand Media. October 2007: DeWolfe and Anderson agree to extend employment agreements for $30 million total over next two years. Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0 Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:08 am The T-Mobile Dance takes over Liverpool station in LondonSection: Communications While T-Mobile may not be known for the best advertising campaigns, their new Life’s for sharing campaign is sure a fun one to watch. The concept is very similar to Improv Everywhere’s Frozen Grand Central video, which gave us a good laugh when it came out a while back. Our friends over a GeekSugar said it best: “It’s rare when commercials make you feel good, and even rarer when they can make technology seem like a community enhancer rather than a discourager.“ Check out the video below and let us know what you think. The DanceDance RehearsalFull Story » | Written by Doug Berger for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 25 Jan 2009 | 2:00 am Report: IBM quietly lays off North American staff (CNET)CNET - IBM has been quietly laying off workers in its North American offices since Wednesday, according to numerous reports online.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:18 am Verizon Hub coming to homes on February 1Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, VoIP, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Household  Verizon Wireless will change the old kitchen home phone system when it releases the Verizon Hub on February 1st. Touted as an innovative home phone system, the Verizon Hub is a home phone system that connects to a broadband connection that allows families to use it as a home phone or an Internet communication system. Verizon wants U.S. families to abandon their old home phones for this new multi-function home phone system with touchscreen navigation. Let’s take a look at what it can do. According to Verizon, the Verizon Hub gives you the following information:
You can get this information through the Verizon Hub’s touchscreen interface. Of course, you get the usual calling features of a home phone system with voicemail, contact list management, and text messaging alerts. The Verizon Hub connects to broadband through Verizon FiOS or DSL or even other high-speed ISPs in the U.S. What makes Verizon Hub seem exciting is the fact that it will enable you to access information and its other functionality even if you are away from the Hub itself. It actually offers some sort of “synchronization” which allows you to update your home’s Verizon Hub wirelessly from the Verizon Hub website and your updates will be reflected on your Verizon Hub home account. In addition, the Verizon Hub will also allow you to connect your other Verizon devices to the Hub and gives you access to other popular Verizon Wireless services including VZ NavigatorSM, Chaperone, and V CAST contents. Read: [Verizon News Center] Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:02 am Palm Treo Pro Delayed, But Does Anyone Care? [Palm]Looks like the release date for Palm's Treo Pro is pushed back from tomorrow all the way to February 15th. But with all the buzz around the Pre, we have to wonder who'll care. We liked the Treo Pro,...Source: Gizmodo | 25 Jan 2009 | 1:00 am New Connections For Stretchable, Twistable Electronicstugfoigel writes "Jizhou Song, a professor in the University of Miami College of Engineering and his collaborators Professor John Rogers, at the University of Illinois and Professor Yonggang Huang, at Northwestern University have developed a new design for stretchable electronics that can be wrapped around complex shapes, without a reduction in electronic function. The new mechanical design strategy is based on semiconductor nanomaterials that can offer high stretchability (e.g., 140%) and large twistability such as corkscrew twists with tight pitch (e.g., 90 degrees in 1 cm). Potential uses for the new design include electronic devices for eye cameras, smart surgical gloves, body parts, airplane wings, back planes for liquid crystal displays and biomedical devices."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:19 am Lego Chuck Taylor Sneakers Look Even Less Comfortable Than Usual [Lego]At least they've got more ankle support than normal canvas Chucks, right? [Flickr]Source: Gizmodo | 25 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am Rumor: Resident Evil 5 Red Xbox 360 Bundle
No details about hard drive, but who cares when you can have yourself the only red Xbox on the block? Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 11:39 pm Microsoft's Zune crashes as iPod sales grow - Apple Insider
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 24 Jan 2009 | 11:13 pm The Biggest Advances in Governmental Tech During the Bush Era [Bush League]With all this talk about Obama's BlackBerry and weekly YouTube addresses, we tend to assume there was no governmental tech before him. But there actually were some impressive advances in the last...Source: Gizmodo | 24 Jan 2009 | 11:00 pm Downadup Worm — When Will the Next Shoe Drop?alphadogg writes "The Downadup worm — also called Conflicker — has now infected an estimated 10 million PCs worldwide, and security experts say they expect to see a dangerous second-stage payload dropped soon. 'It has the potential to infect about 30% of Windows systems online, a potential 300 to 350 million PCs,' says Don Jackson, director of threat intelligence in the counter threat unit at SecureWorks. The worm, first identified in November and suspected to have originated in the Ukraine, is quickly ramping up, and while Downadup today is not malicious in the sense of destroying files — its main trick is to block users from accessing antivirus sites to obtain updates to protect against it — the worm is capable of downloading second-stage code for darker purposes."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 24 Jan 2009 | 10:56 pm Sony Reader gets a whole bunch of titlesSection: Gadgets / Other, Peripherals, Displays/Projectors
Through the deal, OCLC’s Netlibrary will be making available a collection of new ebook titles which library patrons can borrow together with the Sony eBook reader. Librarians of the of participating libraries can download eBooks from the Sony Reader Mobile Collections to their PCs and to the Sony Reader, complete with all the licenses required for the eBook titles. And mind you, those eBook titles are not just your run-of-the-mill titles since most of these books are certainly useful and are worthwhile readings. Library users can borrow titles from the collection’s 30 titles of business self help eBooks, 29 popular fiction, 24 young adult fiction, 22 titles on management and leadership, and 19 titles of romance eBooks. Sony will not get any purchases directly from this program. They are looking for a long term benefit when users get accustomed to reading eBooks and borrowing these eBooks from libraries instead of illegally obtaining them from unauthorized Internet sites. The program is definitely a good way of advertising and marketing the Sony Reader. Perhaps even better than Oprah promoting it on her TV show. Product [Sony] Read [PR Newswire] Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jan 2009 | 10:30 pm YouTube Users Lash Out At Warner Music (And Google) With Protest Videos
Those users aren’t being quiet about it, either. And scores of them are uploading protest videos to say exactly what they think. All are angry at Warner Music. And most express disappointment at Google, too, for reportedly walking away from the deal that allowed Warner’s music to be used legally on the site. I’ve embedded the “best of” below. More are being uploaded in real time, and this has the feel of a situation that is just now starting to boil over. Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware. Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jan 2009 | 9:53 pm Long-Term PC Preservation Project?failcomm writes "I've been talking with my son's (middle-school) computer lab teacher about a 'time capsule' project. The school has a number of 'retirement age' PCs (5-6 years old — Dells, HPs, a couple of Compaqs), and we've been kicking around the idea of trying to preserve a working system and some media (CDs and/or DVDs), and locking them away to be preserved for some period of time (say 50 years); to be opened by students of the future. The goal would be to have instructions on how to unpack the system, plug it into the wall (we'll assume everyone is still using 110v US outlets), and get the system to boot. Also provide instructions on how to load the media and see it in action; whether it is photos or video or games or even student programs — whatever. So first, is this idea crazy? Second, how would we go about packing/preserving various components? Lastly, any suggestions on how to store it long term? (Remember, this is a school project, so we can't exactly just 'freeze it in carbonite'; practical advice would be appreciated.)"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 24 Jan 2009 | 9:43 pm Scientists See California Quake PatternSouthern California could be overdue for a major earthquake along the San Andreas Fault, researchers say.A study by scientists at the University of California at Irvine found there were five major temblors along a southern section of the San Andreas Fault in the past 700 years, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jan 2009 | 9:30 pm Windows 7 Beta downloads end February 10th
If you still haven’t downloaded the public beta of Windows 7, you’ll need to do so before February 10th, as Microsoft will be pulling the links from its servers. If you’ve got a slower connection and you start your download by the 10th, you’ll have until the 12th to finish downloading the multi-gigabyte file. The good news is that Microsoft will continue to make product keys available for the beta long after the 12th. So if you can find the ISO elsewhere – and there should be plenty of places to find it – then there’s no need to panic. General availability for the Windows 7 Beta to end [Windows 7 Team Blog] Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 9:00 pm Major Milestone Reached in the Quest For Star Trek Style Teleportation [Teleportation]I don't understand quantum mechanics. Physicists don't even really understand it. But somehow, information was successfully teleported over a full meter, which means we're that much closer to making...Source: Gizmodo | 24 Jan 2009 | 9:00 pm iPhone App Review: Air Mouse Pro
A few days ago I reviewed Snatch, an app that allows you to use your iPhone as a trackpad and keyboard to control any PC or Mac on your home network. A couple of commenters gave me a tip to check out Air Mouse, a similar app that they claimed offered greater functionality at a lower price. Always being game for a good software rumble, I spent a bit of time with Air Mouse tonight to see what all the fuss was about.
Air Mouse contains a lot of features similar to those found in Snatch: a full-screen multitouch trackpad, a keyboard, and remote controls to manipulate all your favorite apps. However, it also has a lot of bells and whistles that are nowhere to be found in Snatch, such as dedicated media and web browsing keys, as well as gyroscopic mouse control, a feature that allows you to move your cursor by waving your phone around in the air like some sort of 21st century smartphone-toting wizard. While the gyroscopic pointing seems to be a huge selling point of Air Mouse, I found it utterly unuseable. We use a lot of Gyration mice around my office, so I may be spoiled by the smooth-as-silk pointing that they afford, but it took all the concentration of a heated game of Jenga just to click generously-sized buttons on my screen, and I found myself retreating back to the tried-and-true trackpad method of input in short order. That’s not to say that there aren’t areas where Air Mouse shines, however. The interface is incredibly polished, and makes Snatch feel clunky in comparison. I also really dug the landscape trackpad, which can be accessed by tilting your phone on its side. My favorite feature of the app, though, is its ability to detect when certain programs on your host computer have focus, and to remap the controls of your remote accordingly. The server comes pre-loaded with remotes for several commonly-used programs such as iTunes and VLC, and allows you to configure additional profiles for other programs you might wish to control. I did encounter a huge bug when using Songbird: the app stopped functioning entirely when I opened it, and wouldn’t start working again until I minimized or closed the program. Whether this is a problem exclusive to Songbird or not I don’t know, but it’s a program I use often enough that it’s a big issue to me. I also would’ve liked to see more customization options with the remotes: you’re given a pre-set number of buttons, and while you’re free to reprogram them to whatever function you choose, it would be nice to have the option to add more. I understand that this was a design choice made for aesthetic reasons, and I can respect that, but it’s also the biggest reason I’ll continue to use Snatch as my remote input app of choice. If you’re not concerned about gyroscopic mousing or button customization, though, Air Mouse is a solid choice for your iPhone mousing needs, and at two bones less than Snatch, it’s a pretty decent deal. Air Mouse Pro, $5.99 in the App Store. Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:38 pm iPhone App Review: Air Mouse Pro
A few days ago I reviewed Snatch, an app that allows you to use your iPhone as a trackpad and keyboard to control any PC or Mac on your home network. A couple of commenters gave me a tip to check out Air Mouse, a similar app that they claimed offered greater functionality at a lower price. Always being game for a good software rumble, I spent a bit of time with Air Mouse tonight to see what all the fuss was about.
Air Mouse contains a lot of features similar to those found in Snatch: a full-screen multitouch trackpad, a keyboard, and remote controls to manipulate all your favorite apps. However, it also has a lot of bells and whistles that are nowhere to be found in Snatch, such as dedicated media and web browsing keys, as well as gyroscopic mouse control, a feature that allows you to move your cursor by waving your phone around in the air like some sort of 21st century smartphone-toting wizard. While the gyroscopic pointing seems to be a huge selling point of Air Mouse, I found it utterly unuseable. We use a lot of Gyration mice around my office, so I may be spoiled by the smooth-as-silk pointing that they afford, but it took all the concentration of a heated game of Jenga just to click generously-sized buttons on my screen, and I found myself retreating back to the tried-and-true trackpad method of input in short order. That’s not to say that there aren’t areas where Air Mouse shines, however. The interface is incredibly polished, and makes Snatch feel clunky in comparison. I also really dug the landscape trackpad, which can be accessed by tilting your phone on its side. My favorite feature of the app, though, is its ability to detect when certain programs on your host computer have focus, and to remap the controls of your remote accordingly. The server comes pre-loaded with remotes for several commonly-used programs such as iTunes and VLC, and allows you to configure additional profiles for other programs you might wish to control. I did encounter a huge bug when using Songbird: the app stopped functioning entirely when I opened it, and wouldn’t start working again until I minimized or closed the program. Whether this is a problem exclusive to Songbird or not I don’t know, but it’s a program I use often enough that it’s a big issue to me. I also would’ve liked to see more customization options with the remotes: you’re given a pre-set number of buttons, and while you’re free to reprogram them to whatever function you choose, it would be nice to have the option to add more. I understand that this was a design choice made for aesthetic reasons, and I can respect that, but it’s also the biggest reason I’ll continue to use Snatch as my remote input app of choice. If you’re not concerned about gyroscopic mousing or button customization, though, Air Mouse is a solid choice for your iPhone mousing needs, and at two bones less than Snatch, it’s a pretty decent deal. Air Mouse Pro, $5.99 in the App Store. Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:37 pm GoStereo Tune In Tune Out Lets You Hoard Your Music or Share on the Fly [Headphones]Whether you want to keep your music to yourself or share it with the world, this GoStereo headset only makes you lug around one listening device as it doubles as both personal headphones and...Source: Gizmodo | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:30 pm Video: Steve Jobs Giving His First Big Demo Twenty five years ago today, on January 24, 1984, Steve Jobs gave the first on-stage demonstration of the Macintosh computer to a packed auditorium. The technology was much different then, but it was the same Steve Jobs: a masterful showman able to make the latest jumble of electronics seem like it was capable of magic. Enjoy.
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:23 pm Microsoft extends Windows 7 beta download deadline - Computerworld
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:22 pm Recession Hits Silicon ValleyAfter recovering from the late 90s tech bubble and subsequent bust, the global recession is now hitting Silicon Valley companies hard, as tech firms cut thousands of jobs and reduce costs to compensate for plummeting earnings and waning customer demand.Until recently, tech sector layoffs have lagged behind other industries. But they’re now coming at a furious pace as the recession grips Silicon Valley, the strip of land just south of San Francisco that is the epicenter of the technology industry.Tech bellwethers such as Microsoft, Google and Intel have announced thousands of layoffs in recent weeks, while start-ups fight for survival with fewer customers and venture capital funds.Analysts say this is only the beginning, and predict thousands more will lose their jobs this year as the economic slowdown forces the industry to cut back on marketing and capital spending."Organizations are saying, 'What is the absolute nuclear winter? Let's plan for that,'" Adam Charlson, senior partner at executive search firm Korn/Ferry International Inc, told Reuters. Charlson’s firm works closely with the recruitment departments of many top technology companies.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:20 pm Delay of digital TV bill goes to vote - Afterdawn.com
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:14 pm CrunchDeals: Slacker Portable for $54.99
Here’s a pretty great deal on a 2GB Slacker Portable player. It generally costs about $75 to $100 elsewhere but you can pick one up for just $54.99 at Geeks.com – that’s for a new unit, too, not a refurbished one (Geeks.com sells a fair amount of refurbished stuff). Keep in mind that the second generation of the Slacker Portable, the G2, is now out. Our own Peter Ha called it “10x better than the first gen device,” but it starts at $199. If you just want to get in the game, $55 for the first-generation device might not be that bad. Slacker Portable 2GB Personal Radio Player [Geeks.com] Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 8:00 pm Video: Steve Jobs Giving His First Big DemoTwenty five years ago today, on January 24, 1984, Steve Jobs gave the first on-stage demonstration of the Macintosh computer to a packed auditorium. The technology was much different then, but it was the same Steve Jobs: a masterful showman able to make the latest jumble of electronics seem like it was capable of magic. Enjoy. (Via Dave Winer). Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily. Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jan 2009 | 7:57 pm Stun Gun Study Raises Safety QuestionsThe rate of sudden deaths increased six-fold in the first year that California law enforcement agencies deployed the use of stun guns, according to a UCSF study.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jan 2009 | 7:41 pm Lego's Digital Box Shows Completed 3D Models With No Construction Needed [Lego]Imagine mulling over two new Lego sets, wondering which one would look more impressive on your parents' mantle. To help you out, Lego's Digital Box shows a 3D model right there in the store. If a...Source: Gizmodo | 24 Jan 2009 | 7:40 pm Bee Study Could Help Improve Artificial Intelligence SystemsImage Caption: Faces can dramatically change appearance when seen from different viewpoints, since the relationship between elements like nose and eyes change depending upon viewing angle. Bees solve this difficult visual problem by averaging previously learnt views. Credit: Monash UniversitySource: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jan 2009 | 7:35 pm Opinion: This lady is saying some crazy stuff about gamers
Professor Laura Padilla-Walker (seen on the left) of the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences at Brigham Young University recently published a study in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence titled More Than a Just a Game: Video Game and Internet Use During Emerging Adulthood. When asked about the study, Padilla-Walker commented “The most striking part is that everything we found clustered around video game use is negative.” Everything? So NOTHING good comes from playing video games? That’s crazy talk. Is it negative that games generally make for better surgeons and fighter pilots? Is it negative that Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour kinda/sorta teach people how to play the drums? Is it negative that all the groomsmen at my wedding were guys I met on Xbox Live? They weren’t, but you can imagine if they were. That would have been weird! The impetus behind the study – which you can download for $34 – “was to gain a clearer understanding of the pattern of video game and internet use among college students and to examine how electronic leisure was related to risk behaviors (i.e., drinking, drug use, sex), perceptions of the self (i.e., self worth and social acceptance), and relationships with others (i.e., relationship quality with parents and friends).”
According to the Telegraph, the study found the following:
Padilla-Walker further commented:
Allow me to explain to Professor Padilla-Walker how college works for most kids. Video gaming is at an all-time high on campuses everywhere. I’ve never played so many video games in my entire life than in the four years that I was in college. Know what goes great with playing video games when you’re in college with all your buddies? Beer. Also, booze. And for some, cannabis. The fact that the study only found a 10% increase in alcohol and drug use among college-aged gamers is, frankly, shocking. I’d expect it to be much higher than that. Your study, Ms. Padilla-Walker, should have looked closer at those who don’t play video games habitually. Sure, you’ll find that fewer women play games than men but you should have asked women how much time they spend watching men play video games in college. Ask any of the women who lived in my house or next door to my house how many times they’ve witnessed a game of Mario Kart 64 (this was back in 2000 or so, mind you) while drinking with everyone else. The students who aren’t playing video games or at least watching people play video games are the ones you should be more concerned about. What are they doing? If you can walk down a dorm hallway on a Friday night and not hear the gunfire from a first person shooter or the whistles from any EA Sports title intermingled with the clanking of beer bottles, something is wrong. And the whole “female gamers have lower self esteem” thing? You surveyed 500 women and only 7% admitted to playing games at least every other day. That’s 35 women in college likely to suffer from low self esteem out of 500 – pretty good if you ask me. Sounds like they’re just being honest, though. The Entertainment Software Association puts female gamers at about 38 percent, according to CNN. So consider that the 31% of women in your study who didn’t admit to gaming might be trying to mask other stuff as well like, oh I don’t know, low self esteem. Finally, back to the “everything we found clustered around video game use is negative” piece. You can’t say things like that and have people take you seriously. High-fiving after a one-timer builds camaraderie. Yelling joyfully after returning the enemy’s flag to your base is therapeutic. Laughing hysterically after your buddy botches the landing of an impossible trick releases endorphins. Sure, there’s a sadder, darker side to video games but that only pertains to people who play MMORPGs – like when I used to lock myself in my room and play Everquest eight hours a day. Yes, that’s a bad time in every gamers life, but we all emerge from it much stronger than ever before and eventually return to playing games because they enrich our lives. So does beer. Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 7:15 pm Gadgetell Interview: Talking about the future with Ariel Diaz of YouCastr, inc.Section: Audio, Video, Content, Communications, Computers, Web, Websites, Online Music/Video, Features, Interviews
Have you ever wanted to have your own “radio” show online and talk about sports? A lot of people do, but it’s hard to reach a good audience especially if you are an amateur. Back in 2007, Ariel Diaz, along with a few of his college alumni decided to create YouCastr. YouCastr is a place where amateur, semi-professional, and professional users could talk about whatever sport related topics of their choosing. Later in February 2008, YouCastr went into their first beta and raised some money to further their developments. I recently got the chance to catch up with Ariel Diaz, the CEO and Co-Founder of YouCastr, inc., and I asked him about the direction of YouCastr and the technology they use to make their goals come to fruition. Without further ado, let’s get the questions and answers rolling.
Gadgetell: What makes YouCastr different from the other broadcasting services out there?
Gadgetell: What role does the widespread broadband Internet play in achieving your goal of streaming audio content?
Gadgetell: What other technologies does YouCastr plan to implement for your users? i.e. video streaming, roundtable discussions.
Gadgetell: Do you think YouCastr appeals to amateur broadcasters or professional ones?
Gadgetell: Who is interested in following high school, college and youth sports, and how do they find out about YouCastr?
Gadgetell: In addition to broadcasting, what other services does YouCastr provide?
Gadgetell: Do you plan to let users broadcast about topics other than sports?
Gadgetell: Lastly, what does the future hold for YouCastr?
Gadgetell: Thanks for taking the time and answering these questions, do you have any last words for our readers?
If you have any questions about the YouCastr service, feel to ask them below in the forums. If you already use YouCastr, let us know what you think of the service! Read [YouCastr] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jan 2009 | 7:00 pm Environmentalists Hail Pushback Of South Dakota Power PlantThe U.S.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jan 2009 | 6:55 pm “The Dark Knight” returns to theaters
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 6:43 pm Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt (Macworld.com)Macworld.com - Weâve been celebrating the Macâs anniversary all week long, at Macworld.comâno, really, we have the Mac at 25 home page to prove itâbut words alone may not be enough to mark such a momentous occasion. Something like a silver anniversary calls out for a t-shirt.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jan 2009 | 6:41 pm Limited Edition Harlequin 60th Anniversary Sony Reader just in time for Valentine’s Day
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 6:05 pm Hybrid PA luggage from Live Luggage is a nerd’s dream come true
The original PA series we told you about last year wasn’t aesthetically pleasing but the technology was there. If you don’t recall what I’m talking about then here’s a quick refresher. PA stands for power assisted and LL’s PA bags are equipped with anti-gravity handles that place 85 percent of the weight onto the wheels. I’m almost certain that I don’t own wheeled luggage because of how heavy the handles get. The wheels employ flat motor technology (powered by a rechargeable 12V NiMH battery) to assist when going over bumps, up hills and the like. The Hybrid has two zip-away compartments for laptops and anything you’d like to carry-on. There’s also a Live Locater ID to help find your bag in case it gets lost. There’s even a special spot for an umbrella and LL even throws one in. Look for the Hybrid PA to drop April 17th for a whopping £695 or roughly $957. Ouch. Live Luggage via CC Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 5:48 pm Scratched iPod nano? Legal settlement could mean money in your pocket
The Los Angeles County Superior Court is pursuing a settlement for owners of scratched up first-generation iPod nanos. The suit alleges that early runs of the devices “contained a design or manufacturing defect that resulted in excessive scratching.” Not all first-gen nanos are affected, just the early ones. To find out if yours is covered, you can visit this page and enter your serial number. Apple has set aside $22.5 million for the settlement and payouts will be determined “depending on whether your iPod nano was shipped with or without a slip case, and also depending on the total number of valid claims that are made,” but the general idea is that if you didn’t get a free slip cover, you’ll get $25 and if you did get a free slip cover, you’ll get $15. Those payout numbers could go up if the total number of valid claims is less than the fund. If so, the remaining money would be prorated and divvied out accordingly, so if you’ve got the time and energy to fill out the form and submit a claim, here’s to hoping that others won’t take the time to do the same so you can get a bigger piece of the pie. If you’re one of the affected owners, you can get started here: iPod nano settlement Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jan 2009 | 5:45 pm SmashLAB Appeals To Discovery Channel To “Suck Less”
The problem isn’t the use of the SmashLAB name, but rather that the show is so bad that people are complaining, and that now their company “sucks by association” when people search on the name. So they’ve written one of the funnier open letters I’ve ever read, asking Discovery Channel to simply “suck less.” Here’s the letter:
Well done, SmashLAB (the company, not the TV show). Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jan 2009 | 5:30 pm Yesterday at Boing Boing Gadgets Yesterday on Boing Boing Gadgets:
• A woman with uncanny valley fingers showed off the phone watch of tomorrow.
• A speedboat in the shape of a guitar went on sale.
• The Phantom of the Opera advertised a chess set.
• Knight Rider could not afford an iPhone.
• John loved the look of Jolicloud, a Linux distro for netbooks.
• Pastel colors came back to rack-mounted synthesizers.
• Spectacles went USB.
• We discovered that laser-etching a Moleskine can kill you.
• Someone invented the better ice tray.
• We discovered the most adorable C-3P0 ever.
• Palm responds to Apple's veiled lawsuit threats: "Bring it."
• Roadside LED signs were easily hacked to warn about upcoming zombie outbreak zones.
• We all revealed our hearts and souls by starting a gallery of our laptop sticker art.
And much more besides!
LinkSource: Boing Boing | 24 Jan 2009 | 5:09 pm Demand Climbs for Wireless Voice, Multimedia and Internet Access in Simi Valley, CaliforniaVerizon Wireless adds a new 3G cell site to stay ahead of growth IRVINE, Calif., Jan.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jan 2009 | 4:00 pm The week in Microsoft: the media finds out about Windows 7 - Ars Technica
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 24 Jan 2009 | 3:30 pm
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Here’s an interesting take on your traditional stereo speakers. The GoStereo headset is a pair of stereo headphones you can use to listen to music off your traditional MP3 player or iPod, except this pair of headphones has a special twist, they double as speakers. The headphones have external speakers on the back of each earpiece so you share your tuneage with those around you.
Over the next 24 hours, officers questioned the Thornleigh taxi driver and his aged-care worker wife, patted them down and searched their luggage before sending them to a detention centre in a caged van. They were then taken to a hotel with other detainees at 2.30am to sleep with armed guards by their bedside before being woken at 4.30am and put on a flight back to Sydney...
Twitter, which just recently turned down a
Wall Street Journal editor Julia Angwin’s 
Sony didn’t get Oprah to promote its eBook Reader, but they got the support of some organization where the electronic Reader will surely thrive - the libraries and their librarians. Sony struck a deal with OCLC, the library world’s largest consortium of libraries in the U.S. 
Two things are clear in the YouTube/Warner Music 
Warning: This is an opinion piece. It’s not objective reporting. Happy Saturday.
Here’s an innovative approach to defending a trademark. Vancouver, Canada based 