• Jean Shepherd tours Disney's 1964 World's Fair rides - Boing Boing
• Downloadable audio rarities from Disney's 1964 World's Fair ...
• Seattle World's Fair 1962 picture postcard - Boing Boing
• Massive National Geographic feature on 1964 NYC World's Fair ...
• RIP Harriet Burns, first woman Imagineer - Boing Boing

• Amy Walker's "21 Accents" video - Boing Boing

• Swine Flu Fun Facts - Boing Boing
• Swine Influenza Update from a Nurse: Virus, Panic, Precautions ...
• Swine Flu Q & A - Boing Boing
• Bruce Sterling explains swine flu - Boing Boing
• Swine Flu PSAs from1976 - Boing Boing
• Swine Influenza: Another Reasonable, Reasoned Discussion Thread ...

• VA Tech: Jamie Bishop, son of sf writer Michael Bishop, among ...

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• Warner Music, Universal Music, EMI & Sony-BMG voted worst ...
• Warner Music sues paralyzed stroke victim - Boing Boing
• Warner Music attacks specialized web-browser - Boing Boing
• Call Warner Music and complain about lawsuits and DRM - Boing Boing
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• Warner Music CEO calls for iPod taxes, levies -- twirls moustache ...
• Taken down from YouTube? EFF wants to help - Boing Boing
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• Superb ray-gun junk sculptures - Boing Boing
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• Gold farming makes the NYT - Boing Boing
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• Radio show about gaming in China: propaganda, paranoia and gold ...

SAP and SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN) Announce SAP(R) Enterprise Support Milestones

SAP Announces First Quarter 2009 Results

Saft Groupe SA Reports Quarterly Financial Information for the First Quarter of 2009

Windows Mobile to Get Voice Command Capability

Source: Gizmodo | 29 Apr 2009 | 4:30 am

TellMe Rolls Out Better Speech Recognition And An Almost-Sexy New Voice Called Zira

TellMe, which Microsoft bought two years ago, is rolling out an upgrade to its call center automation software which should improve its speech recognition rates. It is also adding Global Crossing as partner for reselling its VoiP carrier service, along with AT&T and Verizon. TellMe handles 2.5 billion calls a year for customers such as American Airlines and ETrade. Even a one percent improvement in automated call completion rates translates into millions of dollars a year for large call centers.

TellMe will be deploying a new text-to-speech engine with an almost-sexy female voice called Zira. She only sounds slightly robotic. Here is a clip you can download:zira_businesslisting

Another set of technologies can break up sentences into their constituent parts so that if the software doesn’t understand something it can ask for only the piece of missing information instead of repeating the entire question. For instance, if you say you want to fly from New york to San Francisco on Wednesday, and it got everything but the day, it would only ask you what day you want to fly instead of making you repeat your entire itinerary.

TellMe is adding a few other technology improvements under the hood as well, such as statistical models for predicting the next word you are going to say to narrow down the possibilities and acoustic modeling that adapts to your accent or speech pattern.

Finally, consumers will begin to see some of this speech-to-text technology in Windows Mobile 6.5. It will be able to read text messages in that Zira voice, and it will also make voice commands an input method for mobile phones running the WinMo operating system, which should be out some time in the fall.

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

New Tellme Mobile Product to Try to Help Microsoft Fight the iPhone With Voice Power [BoomTown]

Tellme, the voice services subsidiary of Microsoft is announcing a “one-button” voice access for Windows-enabled mobile phones, as well as some new technologies to improve call automation for customer service centers.

Aiming at smartphone users who might prefer to use voice over the Apple (AAPL) iPhone’s popular touch, tap and swoosh features, Microsoft (MSFT) is trying to differentiate its mobile offerings.

“Unlike other voice-based services, Tellme is the first to allow people to press one button, say what they want and get it, whether that is to send a text, make a call or search for information,” said the company in a press release, which noted the service would be available in the fall on WIndows mobile phones.

Here is a video of Tellme GM Mike McCue, showing off the new one-button service:

And, here are the full press releases:

Glaser: RealDVD Not for Pirates

Typography Two Ways: Calligraphy With a Twist

The phrase to the left can be read two ways: right side up and upside down. It's called an ambigram, and it's the hottest trend in typography since Helvetica. This one was created by professional puzzle designer Scott Kim, who has worked with invertible text for 35 years. "We're wired to look for symmetry," he explains. "Ambigrams have an almost mystical quality to them." You can find them on everything from doormats (reading COME IN or GO AWAY, depending on your angle) to tattoos (which are awesome in the mirror) to Angels & Demons (the best-selling novel that hits the big screen on May 15). Here's a quick tour through the world of ambigrams.

Scott Kim designed this logo for his alma mater in 1990. He studied music and graphic design at Stanford and continued to experiment with ambigrams. In 1981, he released a book-length collection of his unique lettering called Inversions.

Kim went on to become a professional puzzle and game designer. He later created this ambigram to celebrate the geek touchstone Tron, about a computer programmer who gets uploaded into a game.

Kim's ambitious attempt to make an ambigram out of one of the most recognizable logos in the world.

Ambigrams have been around for more than a century. Peter Newell's 1893 picture book Topsys & Turvys concluded with an image that read "The End" right side up and "Puzzle" upside down. This is the first known ambigram.

Many of the most visible ambigrams have been names and promotional logos. The brilliant industrial designer Raymond Loewy dreamed up this logo for French clothing company New Man in the 1960s. Loewy also designed logos for Shell Gas and Hoover vacuums.

Washington, DC, glam rock outfit Angel sported this psychedelic ambigram on its 1977 On Earth as It Is in Heaven album cover. The album art effectively demonstrates that the rockers' hairdos look just as awesome upside down.

After rebooting DC's Justice League in the JLA series in the 1990s, Grant Morrison brought the X-Men back to life with renowned artist Frank Quitely, the illustrator of this ambigram cover. Morrison had a 40-plus issue run, starting with his New X-Men #114 debut.

Cary Elwes and Robin Wright Penn discover fantasy can be reality on the 20th-anniversary DVD cover of The Princess Bride. The movie's title is an ambigram, reading correctly in both the right-side-up Westley version and the upside-down Dread Pirate Roberts version.

In Dan Brown's 2003 novel Angels & Demons, symbologist Robert Langdon must uncover the mystery of a mark burned into the chest of a murdered physicist—in addition to stopping the Illuminati's not-so-secret blood feud against the Catholic Church. This ambigrammatic cover effectively conveys the idea that Rome has a hidden underbelly.

Ambigrams have become a fashion accessory. Red Chapter Clothing http://www.redchapterclothing.com/ makes ambigrams wearable and stylish, with stars like Jamie Foxx sporting its designs. The man behind Red Chapter, Mark Palmer, is also a prolific ambigram tattoo designer.

April 29, 1873: Railroads Lock and Load

Firefox 3.5 Nears Completion, Beta 4 Now Available

Test Your Lying Eyes With Shades of Gray

	Which two embedded shapes are the same shade of gray? Click here for the answer key.

Eric Harshbarger is a computer programmer known for building colossal Lego sculptures. His puzzle designs include work for Mind Candy on Perplex City, Slooce Technology, Six To Start, and Shuffle Brain.

	Answer: The diamond and the hexagon. Darkness values (100% = black, 0% = White): Shape Foreground Background Diamond 30% 100% Circle 50% 20% Triangle 60% 100% Square 40% 80% Hexagon 30% 20%

Space Junk Forcing More Evasive Maneuvers

Judge Issues 4-Month Delay in Google Book Search Settlement

Solid State Camcorder Cuts No Corners, or Price Tags

5 Basic Math Apps for the iPhone and Your Kids

Solid State Camcorder Cuts No Corners, or Price Tags

Touchscreen slider “PSP Go!” confirmed for this fall?

PSP 2 rumors have been coming and going for quite a while now, but now it’s being claimed that internal sources are confirming a lot of the features we’ve all been hoping for. The PSP Go! name, in addition to breaking up sentences worldwide, reflects Sony’s recent Go! effort to provide video on demand and other mobile services. So what’s the new PSP got and what didn’t make the cut?

• No dual analog. One analog nub and a D-pad. How they’ll fit that on there is anybody’s guess.
• Sliding design with buttons and controls underneath screen.
• No UMD! Hooray! Downloadable games galore on launch.
• Internal storage, choose from 8GB or 16GB flavors.
• Touchscreen? That Mylo one would do just fine…
• Camera? Would take some of the novelty away from the DSi.

It’s still rumor, but as rumors go this one seems all right. Salvage some pieces of the Mylo and its services, take a bite out of the DSi, and take a shot at the iPhone’s monopoly on touch games? Sounds like a business plan to me. Still, that dual analog would have been really nice.

[image credit: 1up]

IE8 Released As Critical Update For XP

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A GeoCities Tribute by TechCrunch readers

Last week we heard that silver-age internet legend GeoCities would be closing down forever. Although that’s no great loss in itself, it’s a bit like finding out the really crappy pizza place you used to go to when you were a kid is being demolished. If you could just have one more greasy, poorly seasoned slice to remember what it was like…

Well, in GeoCities’ case, you can. TechCrunch readers submitted what they felt were the most (or their most) shamefully designed GeoCities pages on the whole site. I’ve collected the links here so you don’t have to troll through the comments.

Some of these have autoplaying music and whatnot, so be careful. They’re all SFW as far as I could tell, but not necessarily safe for eyeballs.

http://www.geocities.com/mister_s_13/
http://www.geocities.com/soho/1469/flw.html
http://www.geocities.com/doowopp21/
http://www.geocities.com/takoda_magick/
http://www.geocities.com/hankmcintyre/
http://www.geocities.com/skashow/
http://ar.geocities.com/coventgardencattery/
http://www.geocities.com/mike_priller125/
http://www.geocities.com/fastmanfunnay/
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Horizon/5384/
http://geocities.com/fischma01/
http://br.geocities.com/vfdesigner/
http://www.geocities.com/a1pyro/
http://www.geocities.com/mvopsu/collegefootball.html
http://www.geocities.com/stonehedgefarms/
http://www.geocities.com/lionscave1/?200923
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/4455/

Two that don’t really count are this great tribute by a Redditor, and Strongbad’s The Cheat website. And of course, my personal favorite for years now. Feel free to leave your own in the comments.

Is Palm Rolling Out The Pre The Day Before Apple’s WWDC Keynote?

It’s now just about May and there’s still been no official word from Palm when it comes to an official launch date or pricing for the Pre. All we know is what we’ve known for a long time — it’ll launch the first half of 2009; a window that is quickly closing. But a few pieces of new evidence today point to an actual specific date. And it’s a very intriguing one — June 7: The day before a likely Apple keynote address at its WWDC conference.

That is of course interesting because Apple could very well use that keynote to unveil the next version of the iPhone, just as it did last year for the iPhone 3G. A public launch of the Pre the day before could suck some of the wind out of Apple’s sails. But it’s also pretty risky, as it means Palm only has one day to convince everyone that its product is better then the latest version of the iPhone which is likely to have some substantial improvements. And no one knows for sure what all those improvements are — it could very well blow the Pre right out of the water, one day into its young life.

The June 7 date for the Pre comes from some supposed internal Sprint documents that name that date as one of two possible launch windows. Earlier rumors had the device appearing in May, but as I said, it’s a bit odd that we’re just about into May and have yet to hear a date or a price. A few people in the know that I’ve spoken to will only say that they’re sure it’s coming “very soon,” but don’t seem to know the exact date either. There are also rumors about the device getting ready to ship, and talk about a casting call for a Palm viral video set to air in June.

Apple and Palm have had an interesting relationship of late, to say the least. Obviously, there are the several former Apple employees who now work for Palm, including some former key Apple execs. Then, there was that whole thinly veiled threat Apple made to defend its IP, if pushed. Something which Palm responded to. And more recently, a partner at Elevation, which owns around 40% of Palm, said more or less that the Pre would kick the iPhone’s ass. If Palm really does release the Pre on June 7, expect tensions to rise even further.

WWDC is running June 8 - 12 and sold out today — in record time.

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

iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 4 now available

Man, they’re just cranking these things out.

Beta 4 of iPhone OS 3.0 is now available for developers.

Click through for more details >>

iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 4 now available

Man, they’re just cranking these things out. Just two weeks after iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 3 (which was, in turn, two weeks after iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2), we’ve got another Beta.

Beta 4 of iPhone OS 3.0 is now available for developers, as long as they’ve downloaded the brand spankin’ new iPhone 8.2 pre-release. It just went live, so we’re not quite sure what’s new here. If you spot anything, let us know - we’ll do the same.

Also, it’s starting to look like we can expect Betas every 2 weeks until release. Next one ought to be on Tuesday, May 12.

Update: Details are still incredibly sparse, but here’s what we’ve heard so far:

• MMS now working on more carriers without modified carrier bundles (Only one report - still working on confirming this.)
• General performance updates, far less crash prone than the past builds.
• The “Store” settings pane now functions, allowing you basic control over your iTunes account
• API Change: “SKErrorPaymentNowAllowed allowed and was replaced with SKErrorPaymentNotAllowed”

More as we hear it.

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

Most effective infomercial of all time

This hip-hop (or shall I say hip-chop) remix of the Slap Chop infomercial is outstanding. The autotune makes it sound like a legitimate piece of pop music. Of course, they did it to MLK too, but this is far less offensive (and more delicious).

This version is better than those other remixes. I’m telling you. As for the Slap Chop itself, I think we can all agree that we’d like to slap our troubles away. But who wants to dismantle and clean a dang blade machine every time you want to dice a tomato?

The salesmanship of Vince (with Slap Chop!) reminds me of a great article I read a while ago in Vanity Fair about a legendary peeler seller who made a fortune selling veggie peelers on the streets of Manhattan. Unfortunately said peeler man passed away a couple months ago. Maybe if the Slap Chop doesn’t take off (it’s not as elegant a tool as the peeler), Vince can take over.

Social Networking Sites Getting Risky For Recruiting

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Konami spikes release of Fallujah videogame (AFP)

AFP - Japanese videogame maker Konami confirmed that it spiked plans to publish a videogame based on a fierce battle between US Marines and insurgents in the Iraq city of Fallujah.

IPod to Reach Out and Touch Someone [The Mossberg Solution]

Apple’s iPhone has changed the game since its debut almost two years ago — building a powerful platform for on-the-go Web browsing and applications, in addition to making cellphone calls. Just a few months after the iPhone appeared, Apple (AAPL) introduced the very similar iPod Touch, which didn’t get as much attention, perhaps because its name understates the scope of its features.

The Touch resembles the iPhone, only thinner, with the same multitouch screen, fast Web browser, iPod media player and ability to run almost all of the 35,000 apps in Apple’s App Store. It doesn’t have a camera, or a few other iPhone features, and it can’t connect to cellphone networks, relying instead on Wi-Fi for its Internet connection.

The Touch has caught on: Apple recently indicated that it has sold 16 million of them. One reason for the popularity is that its freedom from a phone company eliminates pricey monthly bills. But the Touch can’t easily make voice calls right out of the box. So this week, I tested ways to make the Touch even more like the iPhone: apps that use the Internet to make phone calls.

Three Apps to Test

I successfully tested three apps that can be downloaded free of charge from Apple’s App store — Skype, Fring and Truphone. Skype gave me the best connection, and my friends wouldn’t have known I was using it unless I told them. (Skype’s app is popular, with 2.8 million downloads in just four weeks.) Fring and Truphone let users make calls using Skype’s service within their apps, and they also run other programs like AIM and MSN Messenger. But Fring’s phone calls didn’t sound as clear, and I had technical difficulties with Truphone.

The downside to using these apps on an iPod Touch is that you must be connected to a Wi-Fi network. For a lot of people who work and live in areas surrounded by wireless networks, this won’t be a problem most of the time. But in those moments when mobility comes into play — like driving in a car — you’ll miss having a steady line through a phone carrier. You also can’t use these apps to make 911 emergency calls.

Another negative is that third-party applications can’t run in the background on the iPhone and iPod Touch. This means you can’t use a Touch for browsing the Web or reading email while waiting for a call from a friend via Skype or Fring. Fring offers an option that emails you when friends call or message, so you can sign on and call them back. Truphone has built-in voicemail. Skype doesn’t currently offer a notification feature.

(The next version of the iPhone OS is supposed to include notifications, which could improve the usability of these apps.)

The Touch comes in three models: an eight-gigabyte version for $229; a 16-gigabyte for $299; and a 32-gigabyte for $399. Because the Touch doesn’t have a built-in microphone, you must use something like the iPhone Stereo Headset, which costs $29 and has a microphone in its cord.

Skype Plans

Free Skype accounts, which can be used for making calls with all three apps, take just a few minutes to set up. And calls from one Skype user to another are free. Skype calls to landlines or cellphones are relatively cheap. Skype Credit, a pay-as-you-go plan, charges 2.1 cents a minute in the U.S.; Skype Subscription is a flat monthly fee that costs $2.95 when used for calls made to and from the U.S. A monthly fee of $5.95 gets you unlimited calling to one country, and $12.95 a month pays for unlimited calls to 42 countries.

The Skype, Fring, and Truphone apps let you easily import contact names and numbers from your iPod Touch. They also enable instant messaging between you and your friends. Delightful sounds indicate incoming messages and calls, and these can be heard even when the headset isn’t plugged in — as long as you put the Touch down without closing the app.

I had the most success with the Skype app. My Skype-to-landline calls sounded perfect to my boss on the other end. Skype-to-cell and Skype-to-Skype calls sounded good, but weren’t always as clear; I used my Skype account to call a friend in New Orleans on her Skype account, and I heard echoing a couple times during our 30-minute chat. Skype says this could be attributed to the fact she was on a laptop.

Fring calls made using Skype — to landlines, cellphones, and other Skype contacts — weren’t as good as the Skype app. Friends’ voices sounded slightly shaky and muffled. This kind of thing isn’t the end of the world in a quick chat, but could be a real burden during an important call. Fring offers a long list of add-ons, letting you sign in to various accounts all within the same app. These include Skype, MSN Messenger, ICQ, Google (GOOG) Talk, Twitter, Yahoo (YHOO), and AIM.

Technical Difficulties

Truphone calls to landlines and cellphones sounded a bit fuzzy. Truphone is a service unto itself, like Skype, with free calls between Truphone users, pay-as-you-go plans and monthly plans. Like Fring, Truphone enables use of other programs within its app, like AIM and Yahoo Messenger. And it includes free voicemail. But the app didn’t always work for me.

A feature in all three apps lets you call an automated voice test line so you can hear how you sound before calling others.

These iPod Touch apps aren’t perfect, and the next version of the iPhone OS may let them can run more productively in the background. But making calls from the iPod Touch is a pretty cool experience when it works well, and free or low-price plans are an attractive alternative to cellphone carriers.

Edited By Walter S. Mossberg

• Email us at mossbergsolution@wsj.com. Find this and other columns and videos online free at the All Things Digital Web site: http://solution.allthingsd.com

Microsoft Responds to Verizon 'Pink' Rumor (PC World)

Visualizing the power grid

NPR has built an interactive graphic detailing the United States' power grid. [via Flowing Data]

Majority of author’s new novel written on his smartphone

Over a period of three years, fantasy author Peter Brett wrote 100,000 words on his HP iPaq during his long subway commute. And here I get all excited when I manage to post a new word I learned to my blog, while sitting at a bar. Given the length of most epic fantasy novels (or cycles) I would have thought it an impossible task to thumb out more than, say, 5-10% on something like a smartphone. But this guy seems to actually thrive doing it.

He talks about his experience, and why he went with an HP iPaq of all things, in this interview. He’s pretty bullish about the Kindle, much more so than I am, but it’s true that it is a breakout device; authors and publishers need to start working with e-books early or risk ending up like the recording industry. My question is, if he knew he was going to be doing so much typing, why not get something with a really sweet keypad like a Sidekick or Blackberry?

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

JetLev, a jetpack you might someday actually use

Expect to see the JetLev water-propelled jetpack at seaside resorts near you. It's actually sort of brilliant—flight time should be much greater than silver-and-peroxide models, and crashes (probably) won't kill you. (Thanks, JP!)

Miro Asks Users To "Adopt" Lines of Source

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Company pulls plug on `Fallujah' war video game (AP)

Review: Anti Monkey Butt Powder [verdict: works]

Anti Monkey Butt Powder has three ingredients: talc, calamine powder and "fragrance" (a bit like a flower-scented candle). Runners put it between their cheeks and around all their personal bits and pieces to prevent chafing and soak up sweat.

My experience: Very smooth, soft, powdery, smells good, feels great, no rashes or chafing. Also, it makes a hilarious mess if you're not careful. Like eating a jelly donut, you can't go hog wild, especially if you wear black or dark colors.

How to use: Remove shorts completely. Dump small amount of powder in palm. Rub around vigorously but, you know, gently. Replace shorts slowly. Wash hands.

Warning: Resist the temptation to powder yourself when not exercising. Start indulging in this all the time, and you might as well wear a diaper.

In case you're not sold on the merits of this AMBP. Their ads feature a chimp:

Video: MOTO Labs Shows Large Screen Multi-touch Prototype

San Francisco based MOTO Development Group has helped design some interesting gadgets including the LiveScribe Smart Pen and Flip camera.  Now the company’s labs are showing a demo of a large multi-touch screen that can potentially scale up to 50-inches.

The prototype display from MOTO Labs has the thickness of an LCD display. It does not use cameras or bulky projection technology,  explain the Labs in this video.

“When this technology is available at the right price it will shift the paradigm for computer use away from individual interaction towards multiple users working on multi-touch surfaces together,” says Daniell Hebert, MOTO Development Group CEO in statement. “It will be all over the workplace.”

Though MOTO Labs claims its touchscreen tech is such that “no other system currently delivers” that may be a bit of a stretch. Israeli company N-Trig says it can make multi-touch displays in almost any size that users want. N-Trig has also launched a touchscreen digitizer kit to make it easy for software developers to create multi-touch based applications.

See also:
Touchscreen Kit May Spur More Multi-Touch Apps

Video: MOTO Labs

Google adds new unemployement feature to search

Section: Web, Websites, Google

If you are moving in the United States, it is advisable to settle in a state where the unemployment rate is relatively low.  Unfortunately, such precise information is hard to come by, but today, Google has announced a new feature that aims to consolidate all this information.  Enter unemployment rate in Google’s Public Data service. 

Basically, begin by searching for “Unemployment rate in New York,” or even a specific city or county.  After entering in that information, a neat graph will be displayed along with the unemployment rate.  If you decide to click through, you can even compare it with either the national rate, or that of another area. 

Information like this would definitely be helpful in research topics, dinner-table discussions, or just interesting facts.  In addition, the fun doesn’t stop here, Google even added the ability to pinpoint the population, based on the national Census.  You can find out this information in the same manner, just replace ‘Unemployment rate’ with ‘Popular’ and voila. 

While it is certainly possible to find the same information on other websites, Google made it a lot simpler to find this information just by one simple search.  At the end of the Google announcement, they end it with “This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more.”  Hopefully, Google can add even more interesting statistics to their Public Data. 

Check out the video below to see how it works. 

Read [Official Google Blog]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Questions for Ford's CEO?

I'm a Ford Fiesta Agent for the social media experiment called the Fiesta Movement. Basically Ford brought over a hundred 2009 Fiesta prototypes from Germany and gave them out to be driven like mad for the next 6 months, along the way creating buzz and a boat load of user generated content in the manner of photos, videos, blog entries and Tweets (the Fiesta goes on sale here next summer).

As a marketing strategy it is pretty smart, and with any luck might be just the shot in the arm that Ford needs to get its balance sheet back in the black. Joel and I are gonna take my Fiesta out for some track testing, but in the meantime I've managed to score an interview with Ford's CEO Alan Mulally over on TreeHugger. However, while the questions over in our community tend to trend "green," I wanted to give boing boing readers a shot at asking some questions outside that box. So, if you have a question you'd like to ask Mr. Mulally, pop on over to the TH forums and post it, no account required. If your question is selected the answer will be posted here on boing boing gadgets.

I'd like to see some clever questions or comments regarding technical issues, gearhead issues, or just pure geek stuff you want to see in upcoming cars that will get you buying American again. I gotta tell you...this thing is LOADED with tech...so whatever you may want, could already be in here. If you want to ask me something about the car just leave a comment here.

OIN Posts Details of Microsoft's Anti-Tom Tom Patents

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Scientist Says Copying Software Circumvents Encryption

"Tin Can" turns modern iPhone into something like a modem

"Tin Can" is an iPhone app that converts simple text messages to audio signals, blasting them to other iPhones within range like a squawky analog modem. It's one dollar, but probably should be free, since you sort of need people to already own it if you want to use it. And since it's actually less convenient than just using SMS. [App Store via Oh Gizmo!]

The Joggers: good tunes for good runs

There is nothing remotely gadget-y or technologically-advanced about this five piece band from Portland, OR.

But their name is The Joggers, and I thoroughly enjoy running to them.

[image via ClipartHeaven via Chubby Artist]

Video: Would You Like a Hug With That Helmet?

When something is too good to be true, it often is. That’s why we don’t believe for a second that the video above is a legitimate depiction of how Denmark police treat bicyclists without helmets. Free helmets and a free hug? What the hell is this, a utopian society?

Any of you out there know the original source of this video? Chime in by adding your comments below.

Meanwhile, check below the jump for a real example of how the NYPD treated a cyclist.

Via BoingBoing

Quote: Why we need GeoCities

Phil Gyford:

GeoCities is an awful, ugly, decrepit mess. And this is why it will be sorely missed. It's not only a fine example of the amateur web vernacular but much of it is an increasingly rare example of a period web vernacular. GeoCities sites show what normal, non-designer, people will create if given the tools available around the turn of the millennium.

HTC Magic Android Phone Gets Unboxed

The second Android mobile operating system based phone from HTC, the HTC Magic, will be available in Europe through Vodafone.  Earlier this month we posted a quick hands-on with the device from the CTIA wireless conference.

Now German site Netbook News has a video showing the unboxing of the phone and a walk through its user interface.

Unlike the G1, the HTC Magic has a virtual keyboard. That makes the device slimmer than the G1 but when it comes to the UI it is very similar to its predecessor.  So far, there’s been no word on when the Magic will be available in the U.S. but if it does make its way here it is likely to be on the T-Mobile network.

See also:
Hands On With HTC G2 Android Phone

Earthmate compact fluorescent bulbs come with their own mailer

"Earthmate" compact fluorescent light bulbs come with their own postage-paid mailer so you can send back burnt-out bulbs to manufacturer Waste Management. (A company which has really been getting into the Green game lately, I've noticed, with sites like ThinkGreen.com and big ads in magazines talking about the wildlife that lives next to their landfills.)

There's a price, of course: Four bulbs cost $34. As Treehugger points out, Home Depot will sell you 14 bulbs for $40—and let you recycle in-store.

Review: Nike Lunarglide running sneakers for men & women

Nike's new Lunarglide running shoes are awesome. They're lightweight and super flexible, and Steven and I felt a definite extra bounce in our step when we ran with these shoes vs our dinky old kicks. The women's model has extra foam under the heel and stretchy material at the toes because we tend to have wider forefeet. It has a slot under the in-sole for a Nike Plus sensor. Neither of us had any foot pains throughout our week of testing running gear.

Price: $100
Release date: July 2009

Press release [Nike]

Apple May Bring a Non-iPhone To Verizon Wireless

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Microsoft and Verizon May Offer ‘Pink’ Phone

Microsoft could be working on creating a new smartphone of its own

Apple has its iPhone. And Microsoft may have ‘Pink,’ a new Windows Mobile-based cellphone that it is reportedly developing in partnership with Verizon.

A phone born out of the ‘Pink’ project could be available early next year,  according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The latest round of speculation around ‘Pink’ is reminiscent of similar buzz from last year. And it follows fast on the heels of rumors that Apple is also in talks with Verizon about potential iPhone-like devices. But so far Microsoft has denied that it is working on a device of its own.

In December, Brian Seitz, group manager of Zune spoke with Gizmodo in response to rumors of a Zune phone offering some basic details about ‘Pink.’  Seitzer indicated that the Microsoft Pink project is more “a platform of services that could allow Zune like services to run on platforms like Windows Mobile.”

That may still be Microsoft’s plan but the company could have decided to take the plunge towards creating its own device in a bid to restore Windows Mobile’s position in the market.

Over the last two years Microsoft has seen rival operating systems gain ground.  Last year Google launched Android, an open source mobile OS that has so far been included in three phones–HTC G1, HTC Magic and Samsung I7500.  Meanwhile, Palm, which has been a long time Windows Mobile user, has launched web OS.  web OS will make its debut with the much-anticipated Palm Pre and if the device is a hit, it is likely Palm could move away from Windows Mobile.

Betting on its own device to showcase Windows Mobile’s capabilities could spur other partners to action. But it could also backfire. Microsoft’s move could put it in compeition against handset makers such as LG that use Windows Mobile OS extensively. In February, Microsoft said it has signed a deal with LG to integrate Windows Mobile into at least 50 LG smarpthones.

Microsoft’s track record in terms of consumer hardware devices also doesn’t inspire much confidence.  After all,  how many users would want a Zune-like phone?

See also:
Zune Manager Slams Zune Phone Rumors

Photo: (mtlin/Flickr)

Review: going on beer runs w/the GoWear Fit

Running is for criminals. I've always detested it. It's not that I can't take exercise or sweating (I love biking, hiking). I loathe the constant exertion of jogging, the pounding of the feet, and the nagging suspicion I'm always doing it wrong. In college, I split my time between the beach and treadmills, and preferred the latter, even though running inside hurts my soul. In retrospect, I assumed forcing a machine to do the pacing was the appeal. Lazy dude, unforgiving machine. Turns out I was wrong. It wasn't until I strapped on the GoWear Fit -- an arm/wristband system that tabulates distance (in steps) and calories burned over time -- that it all clicked. It's not the treadmill's pacing I was after. It's the feedback. The data. All that time I was running blind. No wonder I hated it. After the jump, hear how I learned to stop worrying and sort of, actually, kind of, almost love the run.

As much as I hate running, I love dieting. A lot. A year into my first desk job, my midsection ballooned thanks to the three b's: burritos, beer and the Bell (specifically the fourth meal). My girlfriend at the time (now wife) diplomatically suggested a diet: calorie counting. It worked. Quite well. Dropping 20 lbs. in a couple months emphasized just how dead-simple the science of hacking your body really is.

A quick primer for metabon00bs: Your body burns a specific number of calories every day, on its own, no exercise necessary (my BRM or basal metabolic rate is 2400 cal). Every piece of food and drink that goes in has a calorie count. An average banana is 110. So is a Bud Light (it's less filling; don't start). If everything you consume adds up to your BMR, you'll maintain your current weight. Consume less than your daily burn, you'll shed pounds faster than a bachelor party at a London gentleman's pub. Cutting roughly 500 calories below your BMR can help you drop one pound a week.

Add in exercise: you can either lose weight quicker or do what I'm super into: continue losing/maintaining weight at the same rate, but add back in whatever food/beverage(s) total up to the burned amount. Again, simple addition, self-control and a basic regimen. Over a week or so, I ran four times (not much, but that's 400% more than what I did in 2007-2008).

Day 1: Control

Lisa and I reluctantly jogged 3.5 miles (Google Mapped before) in Golden Gate Park without any added technology or knowledge about our pace, heart rates, calories, etc. I felt sore and stiff. It sucked, mostly (and I had a gnarly sneeze fit after). I looked online afterwards and tried to estimate how much time we spent over the distance, and therefore the calories I burned. Guesstimating really hinders the ability to have a guilt-free beer.

Day 1 Results:

Day 2: It knows who I am?

Same location, same run. Cold morning. Sync watch to armband after registering online (height, weight, age). "Welcome Steven," the watch greets me. I begin fiddling with the buttons as we run. Then tightening the armband strap, loosening it, and back. Checking calories, obsessively at first. After settling into a decent stride, the first alert comes: "moderate level achieved." Alright!!! ...Wait, what does that mean?

The GoWear Fit is not a heart rate monitor, so you can't expect marathoner data: no target or max heart rates. And you won't get speed over time either (just calories burned). The device is intended to be worn all day long, so you get a more accurate count of what you're burning -- and not just while exercising, but walking to the bus, grocery shopping, and even at rest, typing... not a major source of caloric burn, btw).

Using an accelerometer and thermometer in the armband, the system purports to measure the following: motion and steps, plus temp, heat flux and galvanic skin response (GSR) or electrodermal response. The armband has a plastic case you pop the unit into. On the back are two medal pads (the GSR sensor). All of these measurements are crunched by two basic algorithms ("running" and "resting"), which account for your stated age, weight, height, gender. What this means: you can't just sit in a sauna and expect it to tell you you've lost the same calories you would while running. It's not exclusively body heat or steps taken, but a combination of heat, exertion, the vigor with which the accelerometer shakes, and a biological profile (so don't lie about your specs).

The system uses the data to classify the intensity of your fitness into "vigorous" and "moderate" (also based onthe desired caloric burn you've specified). I thought I'd find these alerts distracting and confusing, even annoying. Quite the contrary: while my racing heart's saying "This sucks. Time for beer?", the watches reminds me I'm doing good, and I should keep it up. With the push of a button, you can see how many calories you've burned thus far at "moderate" and "vigorous" (roughly 200, 350 for me). After just a day of use the GoWear Fit proved easy and comfortable to use, though I didn't track or care too much about my daily totals. All the data from the armband is uploaded via USB or wirelessly to gowearfit.com, where its stored for your perusal or dissection. If you need, you can export to PDF or a neatly-tabulated XLS a basic summary of your performance for any specific week or number of weeks (up to 28 days). I tried this out, but didn't have much use for it. Remember, all I want is to know after each run, how many beers I can drink without concern for my weight.

Day 2 Results:

Day 3: Trail running = the devil

Hills. Panting. Stopping. Ugh. Worthy of a six-pack?

Day 3 Results:

Day 4: Miracle miles, five of them

Crisp, bright Sunday run along the path by the Golden Gate Bridge. I decide to add a heart rate monitor into the mix, just for kicks. There are tons of other runners of all shapes and sizes, including the type who wear spandex and look smug as they coast by. Still, I think I'm starting to get it. No regrets or embarrassment about the lightweight, polarized running sunglasses I'm wearing (they are great for keeping dust from disturbing your contacts). Armband is adjusted properly. Feet feel light.

The heart rate begins to distract me, though. I find myself speeding up to get it higher, not really knowing what it means. I spend about 1/4th of the 5-mile run (above) looking at the fluctuations: 170, 165, 160 (hurry up), 163, 168 (mmmmk), 172. Exhausting for a total heart rate amateur. I know my "max heart rate" should be about 197, but my friend Mat says a better estimate is too run 0.5 miles as fast as you can until, "You think you're about to throw up. Not feel like it, but close to actually throwing up." No thanks!

We finish a run that's 1.5 miles longer than the first one. My legs feel good. I'm not breathing as heavy as I thought I'd be. But I realize I'm going to leave the marathons to Lisa. As long as I can drink more beer, and not get a gut, that's fine by me.

Day 4 Results:

*not counting cool down, warm up

Finish Line

The armband, watch and 12 month account costs $250 (plus $6/month). Pricey. Honestly, if I were on a budget and interested in calories (not heart rate), I'd consider a Nike Plus. Of course, there are some downsides to spending less: the Nike Plus reading is less scientific (i.e. no GSR or temp/heat flux). Regardless of what that means in terms of the data (I plan to do a comparison), psychologically, I enjoyed knowing that my biology was playing a part. Additionally, you can't wear the Nike Plus with all of your shoes (unless you buy the $8 Shoe Wallet), and even then, you have to attach and detach it to different shoes (a hassle if you plan to track calories all day, as you can with the GoWear). While running, too, I believe it's easier to look at a watch and press a few buttons for instant feedback than it is either to a) carry an iPod/nano in your hand, or b) position your arm to read the nano screen strapped to your bicep.

All of these points could easily be moot in the next year. The amount of tools we're building and tweaking to take biological measurements of all kind is thrilling. The key with all of it is really to establish your end goal, understand the level of engagement you want/need, and find whichever pieces of tech fit that. In time, re-evaluate, upgrade, downgrade, etc. I barely got a taste of heart rate. I didn't even scrape the surface of GPS. But I'm more engaged with my body, and the chance I'll keeping this up seems good.

Eventually, too, I may even be able to upgrade to a decent beer, though I'll always steer clear of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.

Touchscreen Kit May Spur More Multi-Touch Apps

Touchscreens are already a big hit with cellphone users. But PC users largely remain chained to their keyboards and mouse.  N-Trig, which provides touchscreens for HP and Dell machines, hopes to change that by putting the technology into the hands of independent software developers — the same people whose apps helped propel the iPhone to massive success.

N-Trig has introduced a touchscreen kit for software developers that can be connected to any development PC. The kit, which costs $900, allows developers to display and test programs designed for touchscreens without having to buy computers that already have one.

“The advantage of having a dev kit  is that it allows you to use the CPU on a high end workstation for compile times but lets you test the multi-touch features in a box next to it,” says Frank DeSimone, senior director of research and development at SpaceClaim, a company that makes a 3D CAD-like product.  “Or you have to compile on a consumer laptop with a touchscreen and that isn’t as fast.”

Apple’s iPhone has made touch a much-desired feature on cellphones. But in PCs, touchscreens have yet to take off. Multi-touch (which involves use of more than two fingers on a touchscreen) is expected to get a boost once Microsoft releases the Windows 7 operating system, its successor to Vista.  Windows 7 supports gesture such as pinching and fingertip scrolling. Other Windows programs, such as Paint, will also include new brushes designed for multi-touch and features such as panning across a page in Internet Explorer. Earlier this year, Microsoft led a $24 million investment round in N-Trig.

But so far developers have had to buy touchscreen computers that feature the N-Trig display. Only three PCs — the HP TX2 and two Dell PCs — currently have it.  The N-Trig dev kit allows developers to turn any of their computers into a touchscreen enabled machine.

“The N-Trig kit can connect to a very powerful desktop computer,” says Harry van der Veen, CEO of Natural Interface, a Swedish company that offers multi-touch software products for applications such as digital signage and education. “You can easily move it around and it is attractively priced. The fact that it is mobile adds a lot of value to the product.”

And as more developers take to creating multi-touch based apps, N-Trig is betting demand for its touchscreens will increase driving the company’s fortunes.

N-Trig's digitizer box aims to kick start multi-touch apps.

“We are a hardware company but the only way that multi-touch on PCs will become mainstream is if independant software developers create applications such as games and productivity tools,” says Lenny Engelhardt, vice-president of business development for N-Trig.

The N-Trig dev kit box, also known as the digitizer, looks like a tablet computer with few controls. The touchscreen on the digitizer supports both stylus and finger touch and connects to the computer using a standard USB cable. The digitizer box can be moved to any Windows-based computer, though it does not work with a Mac.

“This way the developer community can have a touchscreen without buying a touchscreen computer,” says Engelhardt.

$900 for a touchscreen box may seem expensive, but N-Trig says developer shops can use a single box across many machines. And if there is significant demand for the kits, the company can bring down the costs.

Though Windows 7 won’t be available to consumers till 2010, developers interested in multi-touch will have to start working on creating and testing applications now, says DeSimone. “To be successful to get it right you have to start now,” he says.  “If you wait till Windows 7 is out it could be too late to design around the hurdles and have a quality product.”

Photos: N-Trig

Bottom of the Support Queue: Tales of a SysAdmin

Section: Web, Features, Originals

The other day we received a call from a client who was not receiving e-mail, company wide.  Our contact for this company is the by-the-book, efficiency-is-king type of woman.  Requests from this particular client are always characterized by an e-mail following the same basic format.

“Scott,

Good morning. E-mail is not coming in since about 3pm yesterday. Please advise.

Thanks,
Rebecca”

Bound e-mail is probably one of the most stressful types of issues for a SysAdmin to deal with.

”Hello, I.T.”

First of all, there are a lot of people who want to know what’s going on, and there’s only one way to communicate with them: telephone.  If you are a SysAdmin, having to use the telephone is similar to being forced, at gunpoint, to pound a nail into the wall with your forehead.  Actually, this is not entirely fair to say, as the nail-pounding is definitely more exciting, and will result in a smaller headache.

Secondly, everyone seems to have their own idea of what is or isn’t happening with their e-mail, and when, so you can’t really trust any reports you receive.

Investigations begin

I received the first impulses that there was birdbrained-ness at hand when I saw that the server connection was timing out on one particular mailbox.  I braced myself as I looked at the size of the mailbox… It was 44MB, which is about 43MB larger than anyone’s mailbox really ought to be at any one time.  This, coupled with the relatively slow internet connection this client happens to have, was definitely the issue.

Into the inbox

For a variety of reasons, I don’t usually make it a practice to open people’s mail.  I certainly respect people’s privacy, but the greater reason is that I am not mentally prepared to deal with the level of “TMI” I will be subjected to.  However, in order to prune whatever was clogging the connection, this is one of those times I had to.  Again I assumed my braced position as I opened the mailbox to see:

From Subject Size
bob@aol.com fw: fw: fw: fw: fw: re: patriotic photos- so beautiful 10MB
bob@aol.com fw: fw: fw: fw: fw: re: patriotic photos- so beautiful 10MB
tammy@yahoo.com fw: Sand art video 15MB

In the interest of reducing your risk of a brain hemmorage, I won’t list the rest of the classic material that was shoehorned in this person’s inbox.  After getting my brains off the floor and back into my nose where they came from, I observed a few things about these messages:

1. We still live in a world where people feel they need to e-mail videos as an attachment?  Hasn’t everyone heard of YouTube?

2. How does a 10MB e-mail message get forwarded that many times without SOMEONE doing SOMETHING to stop the madness?

3. How many photos do you have to stick in an e-mail message to take up 10MB? Or did some genius take these with a 23 Megapixel camera and drop them directly in?

4. This story’s birdbrain, Bob, apparently felt it necessary to send the “photos” e-mail twice, in case the first message was not received… And, with 10 MB of attachments, I have to say I can’t blame him for having doubts.  Is this like sending a print job a second time when the first one doesn’t print right away?

The rampant stupidity of our society

Eventually my curiosity got the best of me, and I had to find out.  I opened the “photos” message, and once again had my mind blown by the rampant stupidity of our society.

A photographer had taken a series of photos of (I’m not kidding here) two bald eagles getting into a fight, which subsequently led to one of the bald eagles almost drowning.  Then the photographer had the good sense to package them all up into an e-mail message, and send it out with the subject of “Patriotic Photos.”  There was, of course, some contrived sappy metaphor that involved the eagle representing America, as it deals with the current economic crisis.

I don’t know where to begin with the irony in this analogy. Have we totally missed the fact that the eagle #1 almost drowned because it was attacked by another eagle?

With that, I happily closed the mailbox. I’d seen enough for the day. As for the sand art video, I exercised my better judgment and didn’t go there.

This is a guest post by Scott McGrath.  Scott is a systems administrator for a small IT consulting firm in the United States.  Over the last 10 years he has seen his fair share of hilarity, as he works with attorneys, high schools, banks, and other clients. Names have been changed to protect the innocent (or guilty).  If you want to read more of Scott’s thoughts, go over to his blog at scamwagon.com

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:01 pm

Should the US Go Offensive In Cyberwarfare?

The NYTimes has a piece analyzing the policy discussions in the US around the question of what should be the proper stance towards offensive cyberwarfare. This is a question that the Bush administration wrestled with, before deciding that the outgoing president didn't have the political capital left to grapple with it. The article notes two instances in which President Bush approved the use of offensive cyberattacks; but these were exceptions, and the formation of a general policy was left to the Obama administration. "Senior Pentagon and military officials also express deep concern that the laws and understanding of armed conflict have not kept current with the challenges of offensive cyberwarfare. Over the decades, a number of limits on action have been accepted — if not always practiced. One is the prohibition against assassinating government leaders. Another is avoiding attacks aimed at civilians. Yet in the cyberworld, where the most vulnerable targets are civilian, there are no such rules or understandings. If a military base is attacked, would it be a proportional, legitimate response to bring down the attacker's power grid if that would also shut down its hospital systems, its air traffic control system, or its banking system?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:50 pm

Seaglider Completes Record-Breaking Journey Under Ice

Autonomous vehicle developed by the University of Washington is an element of Arctic Observing Network, an International Polar Year research priorityAn intelligent, ocean-going glider has spent six months on a record-breaking deployment to sample the icy waters off western Greenland. The samples will contribute to the longest continuous measurement of Arctic currents that help to drive ocean circulation and regulate global seawater temperatures.The 49-kilogram (110-pound) seaglider, developed and deployed by researchers at the University of Washington, measured fresh water leaving the Arctic Ocean through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Davis Strait and entering the Labrador Sea.Scientists are concerned that Arctic climate change and increased fresh-water runoff are affecting the formation of very dense water in the Labrador Sea. That dense, cold water is a critical component driving the circulation of the world's oceans, according to Craig Lee, a principal oceanographer with the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).Lee and senior oceanographer Jason Gobat lead the group developing the under-the-ice seaglider with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF).The seaglider is one of more than 35 projects that are part of NSF's Arctic Observing Network (AON), which is meant to track and understand Arctic environmental change using an integrated suite of tools ranging from ocean buoys to satellites. Under-ice gliders might one day be among a suite of devices under the ice-covered high Arctic.AON was one of NSF's primary research thrusts for the International Polar Year (IPY), which ended in late March. IPY was a 24-month deployment by scientists from 60 countries around the world to better understand the physical characteristics of the Polar Regions, their role as regulators of global climate and the nature of the changes occurring their as global temperatures rise. In the Arctic, scientists and Native communities also worked together not only to understand the changes themselves, but also the effects of change on subsistence lifestyles.NSF was the lead U.S. agency for IPY.The seaglider project was an international cooperative that included Richard Moritz, Kate Stafford and Beth Curry of APL; Brian Petrie, of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Canada; and Kunuk Lennert and other scientists with the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources.Seagliders developed by the university's School of Oceanography and APL  are small, reusable underwater vehicles meant to operate on their own, gliding without propellers from the surface to as deep as 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), while collecting information about temperature, salinity and level of dissolved oxygen. When seagliders are at the ocean surface they can be commanded remotely from nearly anywhere in the world via the Internet and can transmit their data via satellite telephone.The recent glider deployment allowed the university to surpass its two-year-old world record for operating a glider under the ice, this time by successfully operating a glider as it made round trips hundreds of miles in length under the ice of the Davis Strait.The University of Washington group is the first and only one in the world sending gliders under the ice. With NSF support, the university has developed a glider with enough artificial intelligence to be able to:* Consider how long it has been under the ice and how urgent it is to try to reach an opening in the ice to transmit its data,* Use an internal ice atlas to weigh the odds of having open water above and then check as it rises to determine if the water temperature actually indicates whether ice is overhead. If conditions aren't right and there isn't an urgent need to download data, it just dives back down rather than chance damaging itself on the ragged underside of the ice,* Sense an impending mechanical, electrical or communications failure and make a run for it--that is, try to get out from under the ice and into open water where it could relay its position and possibly be recovered.Unlike faster-moving propeller-driven autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), which may need to be retrieved by ships only days after being deployed, the seagliders can operate on their own for months at a time.The ability to do so under ice, developed by Lee's group, is important in a place such as Davis Strait where scientists want to measure how much fresh water flows through the strait and at what times of year so they have a baseline for comparison in coming years.Early development of the university's seagliders was paid for by the Office of Naval Research. NSF funded work to add an under-ice capability to the glider to expand its capabilities and improve its ability to take samples in hostile Arctic waters."This cutting-edge technology has the potential to make year-round measurements over broad areas where access by other means is severely limited, due to the presence of sea ice for part or all of the year," according to Martin Jeffries, NSF's AON program director.Moorings--strings of instruments tethered to the seafloor--are also monitoring water in the Davis Strait but are not ideal for detecting plumes of fresh water, Lee says. For one thing, the freshest water is often found in a thin layer about 50 meters (164 feet) thick just under the sea ice. Tethering an instrument atop a mooring so it reaches that thin layer puts the instrument at risk of being ruined if an especially thick, low-hanging piece of ice comes along and strikes it.Seagliders pass through that upper 50 meters as they dive from the top to the bottom of the strait and so can supply data in places that instruments on the mooring can't, Lee says.A seaglider's first trip under the ice, in December 2006, last only 14 days.In the latest deployment, two APL seagliders went into the water on Sept. 5, 2008. They relied on five sound sources in Davis Strait to figure out where they were and navigate once under the ice.One operated for 25 weeks, spending 51 days and traveling more than 724 kilometers (450 miles) under the ice, before being collected Feb. 26 by the Danish Navy. During under-ice operations, the glider periodically sought small openings in the ice cover and succeeded in surfacing 10 times to transmit data. It made two round trips under the ice of about 370 kilometers (230 miles) each. Its journey was not as direct as desired on some legs because of weak signals from the navigation beacon and a now-known bug in the glider's navigation system, Lee says. Still it collected an unprecedented record of fresh water moving through the strait.The second glider operated as if it were in the open ocean because it dipped under the ice just before operators activated its "under-ice" mode.  It therefore operated as if there were no ice overhead, trying to surface and, once it found a hole in the ice, stubbornly transmitting all of its data. To avoid freezing into the ice, gliders operating in "under-ice" mode stay only a brief time at the surface before diving back into the ocean. This glider tarried too long became frozen in the ice and was likely subsequently crushed as it was carried with the ice in the Baffin Island Current.---Image Caption: A seaglider is prepared for deployment in Davis Strait by Avery Snyder and Adam Huxtable, field engineers with the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory. Credit: Applied Physics Laboratory / University of Washington
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:32 pm

BLOG: Health Experts Answer Swine Flu Questions

Infectious disease experts tackle 20 frequently asked questions about swine flu.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:10 pm

A $99 Graphics Card Might Be All You Need

Vigile writes "With the release of AMD's latest budget graphics card, the Radeon HD 4770, the GPU giant is bringing a lot of technology to the table. The card sports the world's first 40nm GPU (beating out CPUs to a new process technology for the first time), GDDR5 memory, and 640 stream processors, all for under $100. What is even more interesting is that as PC gaming has evolved it appears that a $99 graphics card is all you really need to play the latest PC titles — as long as you are comfortable with a resolution of 1920x1200 or below. Since so few PC gamers have screens larger than that, could the world of high-end PC graphics simply go away?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:03 pm

Dinosaur bones offer new extinction theory

A U.S. scientist says he's found evidence dinosaurs may have survived for 500,000 years in New Mexico and Colorado after the Cretaceous extinctions. Jim Fassett, an emeritus scientist with the U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:58 pm

Study Finds New Data For Extra Z-bosons, Potential Fifth Force Of Nature

The Large Hadron Collider is an enormous particle accelerator whose 17-mile tunnel straddles the borders of France and Switzerland.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:54 pm

Did Dinosaurs Survive Cretaceous Extinctions?

The Lost World, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's account of an isolated community of dinosaurs that survived the catastrophic extinction event 65 million years ago, has no less appeal now than it did when it was written a century ago.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:51 pm

Less invasive blood glucose test developed

Canadian biomedical engineers say they have designed an electronic skin patch that can be used for quick and painless blood glucose testing by diabetics. The researchers at the University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering said their device might one day provide a less-invasive alternative for diabetics to take regular samples of their own blood to keep glucose levels in check. The engineers said the current method of drawing blood from fingertips and using glucose testing strips and meters can be painful, inconvenient and time-consuming. The researchers, who have patented their device called the Electronic Mosquito, said the patch is approximately the size of a deck of cards and contains four micro-needles that bite sequentially at programmed intervals.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:32 pm

Gameloft’s sales up 22% in Q1 2009

Gameloft, the folks behind Oregon Trail for the iPhone and countless other mobile and console games, have just released their earnings report for the first calendar quarter of 2009. Though sales saw a dip from quarter-to-quarter, they’re up significantly from the same quarter last year.

In the first three months of this year, Gameloft pulled in a total of €30.8 million ($40.2 million USD), as opposed to €33.8 million ($44.2 million USD) in the fourth quarter of last year. This works out to a quarter-to-quarter variation of roughly -9%. Compared to Q1 of 2008’s €25.3 million ($33 million USD), however, sales are up nearly 22%.

Though Gameloft dabbles in the console gaming space, their primary focus is on mobile. It’s also their main revenue generator, accounting for 94% of their sales thus far in 2009.

By location, North America and Europe are Gameloft’s big markets, accounting for 37% and 35% of sales respectively. And the other 28%? Gameloft just lumps that into “the rest of the world”.

I’d imagine that Gameloft’s Q2 earnings (which should be disclosed on July 28th, 2009) will only show more improvement. The iPhone port of Oregon Trail (which is one of the few mobile games I’ve ever seen people genuinely excited about) was released close enough to the tail end of Q1 that a bulk of the sales will continue into Q2. Additionally, they’ve got a Terminator: Salvation game launching on mobile handsets (including the iPhone) in May, just in time to ride the hype of the film’s release.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:29 pm

ESA: Wilkins Ice Shelf is now unstable

The European Space Agency says satellite images show icebergs have begun to calve from the northern front of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica. ESA scientists said the images indicate the huge shelf has become unstable following the collapse three weeks ago of the ice bridge that linked the Antarctic mainland with Charcot Island.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:19 pm

Two new devices from a possible Verizon/Apple partnership?

Section: Communications, Accessories, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers, Wireless, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Imaging

As JG mentioned yesterday, rumors are floating about talks between Verizon and Apple.  AT&T just might be losing exclusive rights to their major breadwinner.

But, it seems more and more as though if the deal does go through that we won’t be looking at the exact same iPhone just marketed through a different carrier.  All that nasty exclusivity confusion and all that.  We are hearing whispers of an iPhone Lite for one, by one person who claims to have seen a prototype of the device.  The iPhone Lite is obviously similar to its big brother, just more compact and less expensive.  My…a cheaper iPhone.  Somehow I think the people just may like that part.

Device number two is a tablet.  This media pad has music, photos, videos…it even would allow users to place calls using a Wi-Fi connection.  There is talk of this coming out as early as this summer if all goes through with the pow-wows between Apple and Verizon.

Also kind of newsworthy is the fact that Apple has hired on Bob Drebin, ex-ATI graphics chip designer.  It isn’t exactly known what department he is going to be working in yet, although, let’s look at the fact that he’s come from being CTO of ATI’s product group, and it isn’t a broad leap to think he’s going to be leading up a GPU project.  His experience, and what he’s worked with processor-wise, is said to be pretty much the core of the coming iPhone Lite, and the Apple Media Pad.  They are called “System on a Chip” (SoC), and are a combination of CPU, GPU and some other components that were previously separate.  This saves on both space and money.

This all seems to be a bit of a change from Verizon’s initial mindset regarding Apple.  They originally balked at the offer of becoming the sole carrier of the iPhone.  Yeah…Bet you can hear them now, Verizon.  Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless CEO has confirmed that they have spoken with Apple execs recently, “In the last six months, I have talked to Steve Jobs.”  He wouldn’t reveal what was discussed, although two people “in the know” confirmed it had to do with “two smaller iPhone-like devices under development.” 

However, AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel doesn’t seem to want to admit to any such happenings just yet.  He says “We are delighted with the iPhone and our partnership with Apple.”  Apple declined making an executive available.  Hmmmmm.

So, yeah…it appears talks are definitely in the works.  But, that doesn’t mean it’s a definite.  The deal breaker here would be financial terms.  Namely, is Verizon willing to share monthly services revenues with Apple, and how much are they willing to pay subsidy-wise for each device.  Plus, if Verizon says “no go” on Apple wanting exclusivity regarding apps, like they do with AT&T, that may stop the whole thing in its tracks. 

The whole thing is kind of a win-win for Apple regardless.  If they go with Verizon, they gain another carrier.  If they can’t work out a deal with Verizon…it pushes AT&T to the plate for a nicer exclusivity contract. 

via: businessweek

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:14 pm

Iceland’s Hunters, Tourists Disagree On Whaling Quotas

Iceland’s tourism industry and whaling industry are at odds with each other over the fate of their whale population.During the summer, tourists spend roughly 45 euros each ($60) in hopes of catching a glimpse of a minke whale at sea.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:59 pm

Herschel and Planck launch set for May 14

The European Space Agency says it has set the liftoff date for its twin satellites, Herschel and Planck, from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana. The ESA said additional checks on the Ariane 5 ECA launcher have been completed, allowing Arianespace and ESA to schedule the launch for May 14. Herschel and Planck have already been fueled with hydrazine.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:55 pm

UK Spends $16 Million On Ocean Acidification Research

A $16 million program launched by the UK government will fund a five-year research study on ocean acidification, BBC News reported.Oceans are becoming more acidic as a result of CO2 from human activities being absorbed by seawater, researchers said, adding that acidification of the oceans will be one of the major environmental concerns of this century.The 5-year study will have researchers analyzing and assessing how marine ecosystems are affected in the Atlantic, Antarctic and Arctic oceans.It will also examine the implications for people and the economies that rely on the oceans for commerce.Nature and Marine Environment Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said that ocean acidification would be one of the biggest environmental concerns of this century that includes major and far-reaching impacts.He hopes the research will increase understanding of the scale and nature of the effect CO2 is having on our oceans and marine life.Ocean acidity is believed to have increased some 30 percent since the Industrial Revolution, and scientists are calling it the fastest change in ocean chemistry for at least 65 million years.Many experts fear that increased acidification could result in a massive extinction of sea life that inhabits the oceans.The increases are likely to impact creatures that form alkaline shells as well as coral reefs, which experts say may begin to crumble before the end of the century.However, since ocean acidification is currently still in the beginning stage of research, the problem has only recently received widespread media coverage.The Obama administration has stated it is very concerned about acidification and US scientists are leading the way on ocean acidification research.Additionally, the US Congress recently approved funds for a major research program on levels of acidification in the world’s oceans.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:40 pm

Is Verizon A PC Or A Mac? Or Both? Or Neither?

First, it was reported that Apple was talking to Verizon about getting the iPhone on its network in 2010. Then it was reported that Apple was actually working on new mobile devices for Verizon. With so much Apple blood in the Verizon water, it was only a matter of time before the Microsoft shark surfaced. A new report in The Wall Street Journal suggests that Microsoft is also talking with Verizon about getting a device on its service. To be clear, this apparently is not just a standard new Windows Mobile device, as there are already plenty of those on the Verizon network. What this apparently is, is some sort of new device, designed in part by Microsoft, but developed by a third party. This device is said to include access to Microsoft's upcoming Windows Marketplace for Mobile -- its app store.

Source: MobileCrunch | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:20 pm

Verizon and Microsoft to go “Pink,” give Apple a run for its money?

Fresh on the heels of all the Verizon+Apple hoopla is talks of a Verizon+Microsoft partnership working to create a true iPhone competitor.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies are discussing the launch of a “touch-screen multimedia cellphone on the carrier’s network early next year.” Perhaps the best part of this rumor is the projects code-name - “Pink” - which “is aiming to produce a phone that extends the tech giant’s Windows Mobile cellphone operating system, adding new software capabilities.” An iPhone killer named “Pink.” Seriously, you just can’t make up stuff this good.

Not surprisingly, although Big Red and Big Redmond are working together on the design, its expected that a third-party will end up making the device, a la Google and its Android phones.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:19 pm

Huge Antarctic Ice Shelf Fractures

The Wilkins ice shelf that once covered 6,000 square miles is breaking apart.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:10 pm

Android Backward Compatibility Talk Begins. This Is Starting To Sound Complicated.

Love the iPhone or hate the iPhone, at least you know what you're getting out of the box is a device that will work with all the apps in the App Store. That's been the case so far with Google's Android platform as well -- but only because there has been only one device, the G1. With more devices starting to roll out, and a new firmware (1.5, "cupcake") to support them, things are continuing to get a bit murky. Last week, we wrote about how the 1.5 Android software update would break some apps that previously worked with Android. Google gave some tips as to how to fix them, but it's still a bit troubling. Today, comes another post on the Android Developer blog with two dreaded words: Backward compatibility.

Source: MobileCrunch | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:55 pm

Cosmic Blast Is Universe's Oldest Object Yet Seen

Astronomers spy a burst of energy from a star that died more than 13 billion years ago.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:40 pm

Get your Google Voice On: VoiceCentral and GV Mobile finally hit the App Store

Nearly a month after we dabbled with these two iPhone Google Voice solutions, VoiceCentral and GV Mobile have finally made it through Apple’s torture chambers and onto the e-shelves of the App Store.

While we haven’t spent enough time with either post-release to recommend one over the other, we can say that VoiceCentral has gone and fixed every qualm we had with it in its early days. The UI has been polished, SMS support has been added, a History screen is now available, and you can choose which screen to show on start up. Both apps go for $2.99, and are now pretty much neck-and-neck as far as features (with a few perks exclusive to each app). At this point, which one would suit you better seems like a matter of personal preference.

VoiceCentral iTunes Link
GV Mobile iTunes Link

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:36 pm

Samsung's Luscious Laptop Puts Nebbish Netbooks to Shame

Welcome to the best laptop, netbook, notebook, portable, whatever have you, we've tested all year. The Samsung NC20's unparalleled combination of power, features and an inexplicable price tag make this one of the finest computers you can buy anywhere. Period.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:20 pm

Microsoft Office 2007 gains support for more file formats including ODF

Section: Computers, Software / Applications

Microsoft has released its second service pack today for Office 2007.  The service pack will provide a slew of minor updates that will improve functionality for the Office program.  Most of the new features will allow for performance enhancements as well as support for more file formats.

You can download the service pack through the Microsoft website and the main appeal is the support for additional file formats, most importantly PDF files and ODF (open document format) files.  Moreover, Microsoft has stated that there will be better stability for the Outlook application and charting functions within Excel. 

Many of the updates are beneficial to IT pros with according to Jane Liles, group program manager, Office Sustained Engineering “several enhancements to the security and performance of SharePoint Server 2007, including support for read-only content databases, improvements to forms-based authentication, and an STSADM command-line utility that enables administrators to scan sites that use the variations feature for errors. SharePoint Server will also feature better support for newer versions of the Firefox browser.”

Besides finding the service pack through the Download Center, it will be incorporated into the Windows Update in several months.

Site: [Microsoft Download Center]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:18 pm

HTC Magic for Vodafone gets deboxed on video

Bam! It’s official, folks: the second Android phone to go to a major carrier is now hittin’ the hands of consumers.

Vodafone launched the HTC Magic a few days ahead of schedule in a few countries yesterday, and it looks like the first units are starting to arrive. Sascha of Mini-PC-Pro managed to scrounge one up, and has given it the customary strip-down.

Everything within those little walls of red is fairly standard: the normal papers (warranty info, device ID numbers), a headset, a little slip-cover case (which feels “cheap”, says Sascha), headset, powerbrick, and, of course, the Magic. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they included a HTC-Port-to-3.5mm headset adaptor - so if you want to use your own earbuds, you best hit up eBay before you order the device.

[Via AndroidCommunity]

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:03 pm

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Antimatter

We'll bet an antiproton you didn't know these 10 facts about the antimatter universe.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 4:40 pm

Amazon snaps up Stanza iPhone app creator

Section: Computers, Software / Applications, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle

It would most likely be safe to assume that most people are aware of the Amazon Kindle and the coinciding iPhone/iPod touch app.  There is another app out there, which is actually one of the most downloaded for the iPhone.  Stanza, an eBook reader with support for a wide range of formats, got there long before Amazon, and also has a Windows and Mac app to go along with it.

As of yesterday, Lexcycle, the maker of Stanza, is owned by Amazon.  The main draw of Stanza has been that is supports the EPUB format which is popular among other eBook retailers like Fictionwise.  Although it also has support for PDFs, XML, and a large number of other text-ridden formats you’d like to throw at it.  There’s nothing showing that these things will be included in the Kindle, or even the Kindle app, though Amazon is apparently looking forward to working with the company.

If Amazon is able to take some advice from Lexcycle, even if it’s only on the iPhone app, everybody should benefit greatly.  There seems to be no plans on changing Stanza, which is great news.  Stanza is currently one of the best experiences when it comes to reading eBooks on the iPhone/iPod touch, and the desktop app is great for making netbooks into impromptu eBook readers (though there is no Linux version, unfortunately).  This move makes it so Amazon technically has a role in four aspects of eBook readers: the retail store, mobile phones (however limited it may be), standalone devices, and desktop readers.  It will be interesting to see how it might eventually try to integrate all of them if at all.  Wishful thinking says maybe we’ll see a more open Kindle eventually, maybe.

Read [NY Times]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 4:02 pm

Still time to enter the iPhone 3G Juice Pack Air giveaway

FROM APPLETELL - Have an iPhone 3G and too much to do with it?  Understandable, what with all those games to play, restaurants to find, and perfect girls or guys to talk to.  It can demand a lot of your iPhone’s battery, and mStation | Mophie is hear to help their Juice Pack… MORE »

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 3:03 pm

Asteroids Get 'Sunburned' Quickly

Solar wind rapidly turns asteroids red, concludes research that will help trace meteorites.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 3:00 pm

Google Maps puts Swine Flu in perspective

Section: Web, Web Apps, Websites

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

With each passing day, many of us are checking ourselves for any flu-like symptoms as the media tells us about a potential pandemic: Swine Flu.  A common sneeze now merits a steady stare from passerbys, a cough now garners much more attention.  In times like this tech can help.  Enter Google Maps.

This user-created Google Map shows a lot of information based on location.  The map uses a color coded system to identify suspect cases of H1N1, Swine Flu (in pink), confirmed or probable cases (in Purple) and suspected but negative test results (in yellow).  Deaths attributed to the Swine Flu are shown lacking a dot in the marker.

It is far too easy to listen to the nightly news or Twitter, as our Sue Walsh found out, and feel hysteria creeping up.  Using Google Maps, users can see how many cases are around them, and around the world.  A quick look at the map this morning shows zero cases in all of New England and the Pacific Northwest.

While following the CDC’s recommendations on washing hands and staying home if you feel ill should be heeded, a little bit of perspective is called for. 

The map is updated, though it is not clear how frequently.  As with the Twitter post Sue wrote, it is good to take all of this with a grain of salt.  Basing fear/sense of well-being on a user-generated map or tweet is a gamble at best. 

Source: [Lifehacker]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 2:32 pm

Swine Flu Ground Zero Possibly Found

A U.S.-owned farm in a small Mexican town may be the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 2:00 pm

GPS and Hair Analysis Reveal Elephant Stresses

Kenya elephants' diets are gleaned from tail hair analysis and GPS tracking.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 1:50 pm

Swine Flu Outbreak Tracked With Twitter

Add Twitter to the toolbox for public epidemiologists tracking the spread of swine flu.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 1:10 pm

Mint.com wants you to get financially fit, introduces “Financial Fitness”

Section: Gadgets / Other, Household, Lifestyle, Web, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Websites

Mint.com, the free online personal financial manager, is releasing a new feature today called Financial Fitness.  Mint designed the new feature as a way to help users actively improve their financial well-being.  I have been using Mint.com for a few months now, so I was eager to play with the new feature.

How it works

Mint defines Financial Fitness by five key points:  1) Know your Money, 2) Spend Less than you Earn, 3) Use Debt Wisely, 4) Invest Your Savings, and 5) Prepare for the Unexpected.  Within each key point are actionable tasks that anyone can take to improve their financial health.  Each task has point values, for example, you get 250 points for avoiding bank fees for one month.  Your goal is to earn enough points to be 100% financial fit (at least according to Mint.com).

Making finances fun

Mint believes that taking care of your finances doesn’t have to be tedious or boring, but can be fun.  In addition to earning points for your tasks, you can unlock achievements by, for example, going so many months without finance charges.  The achievements are similar to those in video games or for the non-video gamers, that gold-star or smiley face sticker in grade school.  Your achievements are embeddable so you can boast of your Mint financial prowess to the rest of the online world.  You will also be able to see where you rank in fitness amongst other Mint users.  How long before something like this gets integrated into Facebook?

Want to try it out?

Right now, Mint’s Financial Fitness is being rolled out on a limited beta release.  But, thanks to our friends at Mint.com, 100 of you lucky Gadgetell readers will be given access to the beta trial.  According to Mint, ” [you] will be part of the feedback loop Mint will rely on to refine the product before its public launch early this summer.”  Here is how to participate:

1) Have or set up a Mint.com account

2) E-mail gadgetell-getfit@mint.com with the email address used to log into your mint.com account

It may take 2-3 days for Mint to organize your responses and select the 100 readers for the beta, so please be patient.

Site [Mint.com]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 1:00 pm

Plastic Water Bottles May Pose Health Hazard

Water bottles made with PET plastic are shown to harbor estrogenic compounds.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 28 Apr 2009 | 1:00 pm

Best Buy launches vinyl record pilot program in 100 stores

Section: Audio, Home Audio

Vinyl records have begun to make a slight resurgence, or at least enough of one to warrant a little shelf space in Best Buy.  It turns out that while CD sales have dropped about 20-percent in the last few years, vinyl sales have only increased.  According to the numbers, vinyl record sales increased 15-percent in 2007, 89-percent in 2008 and are expected to increase even more this year.  I know this sounds strange, after all, many geeks feel that the CD is dead, much less vinyl.  However, in 2008 there were 1.9 million vinyl records sold, and already 670,000 in 2009.  It turns out that these numbers are enough to show Best Buy that people still want vinyl and they have begun a pilot program.

The program is planned to begin at 100 stores across the US.  It was noted that the vinyl section would be about 8 square feet of space and contain about 200 albums.  That compares to the total 16-20 square feet of space dedicated to music, which generally includes about 8,000 CDs.  Assuming the test goes well, then Best Buy has plans to add a vinyl section to each of their stores.  And just in case you were wondering how much a vinyl album goes for these days—roughly $22.95.

I can just imagine the strange looks on kids faces when we tell them that these large discs play music.  Considering there are plenty of kids growing up without (or with limited use of) CDs at this point I can only imagine how funny a vinyl record would look, or sound to them.

[New York Post via Gizmodo]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 28 Apr 2009 | 11:09 am

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