Source: Gizmodo | 11 Aug 2009 | 9:00 pm

The New Media School: Because College Didn’t Teach You A Thing About The Digital Economy

By now, most businesses and self-employed individuals know that they can use social media services like Twitter and Facebook to help themselves grow their customer base and (hopefully) make some money. But for most people, actually using these services presents a challenge. Granted, there is no shortage of social media ‘gurus’ who have blogged their tips, but when it comes to finding ongoing instruction from genuine experts, the pickings have been slim.

Nick O’Neill , founder of the The Social Times, is looking to help. O’Neill is launching an educational program called the New Media School, which is setting out to help both companies and individuals most effectively take advantage of the businesses opportunities afforded by the web.

The school’s first course is the Social Media Marketing Program, which entitles participants to a number of text guides as well as a series of video lectures led by a solid roster of industry veterans. Each lecture will be streamed live via Livestream, and students in the program will be able to submit questions live via an integrated chat box. The course will begin in about a week and a half.

The school is charging $147 per month, and plans to offer new content on a rolling basis. For now, O’Neill is restricting the class size to 125. He explains that while the video lectures will be held via video stream (which presumably would have a much higher limit), he will be personally advising each participating company and indivdual through the course’s forums. There will also be virtual ‘office hours’ conducted through Livestream. O’Neill mentioned that he may consider offering alternative formats in the future (perhaps a video-only option without the one-on-one support), but the school is still in early stages so he’s eager to first see what people are interested in.

Here’s a full list of the program’s instructors:

Brad Feld - Co-Founder of Foundry Group and author of widely read venture capital blog
Chris Bucchere - Founder of Social Collective
Clara Shih - Author of “The Facebook Era”
Craig Stoltz - Author of “Web 2.Oh…Really?”, one of Time.com’s Top 25 Blogs
Dan Schawbel - Author of “Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success”
David Berkowitz - Director of Emerging Media & Client Strategy for 360i, author of the blog Inside the Marketer’s Studio
Debbie Weil - Author of “The Corporate Blogging Book”
Don Steele - Vice President of Digital Marketing, MTV Networks
Frank Gruber - AOL Product Strategist & Evangelist
Harper Reed - CTO at skinnyCorp, Co-Founder of Threadless
Hiten Shah - Co-Founder of KISSmetrics
Jake Brewer - Engagement Director of Sunlight Foundation
Jesse Thomas - Founder of JESS3
Jared Goralnick - Founder of Set Consulting
Joe Suh - Founder and CEO of myChurch
John Bell - Managing Director of Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence and President of WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association)
Leslie Bradshaw - Director of Engagement, New Media Strategies
Mike Lazerow - CEO and Founder, Buddy Media
Mike Volpe - VP of Inbound Marketing, HubSpot
Neil Patel - Co-Founder of KISSmetrics
Shashi Bellamkonda - Head of Social Media Strategy, Network Solutions
Tamar Weinberg - Author of “The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web”
Ted Leonsis - Owner, Washington Capitals, Chairman of Revolution Money, and Vice Chairman Emritus of AOL
Tim O’Shaughnessy - Co-Founder & CEO, LivingSocial
Victoria Ransom - Founder, Wildfire Interactive

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

Source: TechCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:48 pm

Why I'm Buying An MSI Laptop

Yes, this ad shamelessly rips off Levi's. Yes, the concept is silly. But, man, do I love it. Apparently much more so than our friends at Gizmodo and Gadget Lab, who aren't too keen on the notion of catching a laptop in your buttocks.

Lighten up, fellas!

In fact, go watch some Tim & Eric (NSFW).

[via Gizmodo via Gadget Lab]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:45 pm

Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing - Washington Post

Telegraph.co.uk

Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing Washington Post (Enter the e-mail address of the recipient(s), separated by commas. Please limit to 10 recipients. ) You must be signed in to complete this action. Sign In or Register Keep your eyes on the skies for the annual meteor shower. This program is designed ... Stargazers may get view of meteor shower in early morning hoursBluefield Daily Telegraph Malaysians can observe meteor shower tonightMalaysia Star Meteor shower visible in Reno area into weekendReno Gazette Journal Wired News -WWMT -National Geographic all 623 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:34 pm

Asimo costume: for best results, move robotically

I’m still trying to decide what to be for Halloween this year, but this Asimo costume, made by a Honda engineer (they hate Asimo) just jumped to the top of my list… of things that would be too difficult to execute. I’ll probably just be a cloud again.

I can’t make heads or tails of the original post — probably because it’s in Japanese. But it appears to be a sort of costume engineering blog. Pretty weird, but I forgive them because they made this.

[via Engadget and Plastic Pals]

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:25 pm

Green Cement Absorbs Carbon

Peace Corps Online writes "Concrete accounts for more than 5 percent of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions annually, mostly because cement, the active ingredient in concrete, is made by baking limestone and clay powders under intense heat that is generally produced by the burning of fossil fuels. Now Scientific American reports that British start-up company Novacem has developed a 'carbon-negative' cement that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits over its life cycle. The trick is to make cement from magnesium silicates rather than calcium carbonate, or limestone, since this material does not emit CO2 in manufacture and absorbs the greenhouse gas as it ages. 'The building and construction industry knows it has got to do radical things to reduce its carbon footprint and cement companies understand there is not a lot they can do without a technology breakthrough,' says Novacem Chairman Stuart Evans. Novacem estimates that for every ton of Portland cement replaced by its product, around three-quarters of a ton of CO2 is saved, turning the cement industry from a big emitter to a big absorber of carbon. Major cement makers have been working hard to reduce CO2 emissions by investing in modern kilns and using as little carbon-heavy fuel as possible, but reductions to date have been limited. Novacem has raised $1.7M to start a pilot plant that should be up and running in northern England in 2011."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:13 pm

EPA neither confirms nor denies the Chevy Volt’s claimed 230 MPG

I, and many of you, had a bunch of questions when GM announced that under the new EPA guidelines, the Chevy Volt will earn 230 MPG in urban driving conditions. After all the EPA hasn’t tested the Chevy Volt yet and GM was just going off the new criteria. Urban drivers could very well get 230 MPG if they only drive 40 miles a day, but once they go over that and the on-board 1.4 L gasoline generator kicks in, that mileage will drop quickly to a more familiar range. Well, the EPA released a very patriotic statement to Edumnds that doesn’t say a whole lot unfortunately.

Green Car Advisor Blog:

EPA has not tested a Chevy Volt and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM.  EPA does applaud GM’s commitment to designing and building the car of the future - an American-made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs. We’re proud to see American companies and American workers leading the world in the clean energy innovations that will shape the 21st century economy.

For the sake of Government Motors, lets just hope that once the EPA does send the car through the tests that the official ratings will be on par with what GM said today. Somehow I don’t think that will be the case though.

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:57 pm

Hurricane Zune continues: pics of display stuff, release date from Best Buy

I’m beginning to wonder whether someone is conducting this concert of Zune madness. The whole thing has been leaked, from the original unveiling to the specs, the approximate date, the pricing and models, and now the preorder tokens.

On reflection, that last one isn’t exactly big news, but it does pin down the release date: September 15th. We had September 8th penciled in, but we’ve waited four months, why not another week?

Looks like you can go pre-order your very own ZuneHD as soon as these get fully deployed; it’ll take a $25 down payment, though.

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:42 pm

IPO Registrations Are Returning From The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death

Another small sign that the worst of the recession may be behind us: IPO registrations are clawing their way back from the shadow of the valley of death (also known as the first quarter if 2009, when there were zero IPOs registered with the SEC). So far in July and August alone there have been 14 IPOs, as many as in the previous three quarters combined. These numbers and the chart above are based on the number of IPO filings tracked by Hoovers as of yesterday. Renaissance Capital counts 16 IPO registrations in July and August, and if you look on the SEC’s Edgar site it looks like a few more filed today.

Registering for an IPO doesn’t mean that the company is actually going to go through with it, but the volume of filings is a good confidence index for startups. Most of the companies filing are not technology-related (Hyatt Hotels, RailAmerica, Bayview Mortgage Capital), although Ancestry.com did file on August 3. In terms of actual IPOs, we saw five venture-backed companies start trading in the second quarter, including OpenTable, which is still trading above its $20 offering price.

All this means is that more companies are willing to take a shot at going public, which is encouraging in and of itself. But don’t expect the actual number of IPOs to recover for at least another year.

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

Source: TechCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:38 pm

A bunch of sweet vintage-y desk lamps for you to buy

I may have thousands of dollars of specialized electronics sitting around my apartment, but I’m also a big fan of vintage stuff. I think there was a speet spot in the 60s where they were just making unbelievable lamps, for instance. And man could they make tables back before World War I. Sometimes you can pick these things up for peanuts, and sometimes it pays to have a little creativity and maybe distress something a bit, giving it that lived-in look. Or if you’re really lazy, you let someone do that for you.

For those of you preferring the last option there, this gallery of Etsy-available vintage-esque lamps over at GeekSugar is pretty sweet. I like the two pictured, but there are a bunch more to choose from, and I’m sure the crafty people at Etsy would be happy to modify one as you see fit. Or you could do it yourself! Come on!

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:30 pm

4,000-year-old dagger found in Scotland

A gold-banded dagger still wrapped in an animal-skin sheath was found in a grave dating from the early Bronze Age, Scottish archaeologists said Tuesday. Kenneth Brophy of the University of Glasgow said archaeologists were even more amazed by other objects in the grave, The Scotsman reported.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:28 pm

DVD Jon Posts His Apple Anti-trust Subpoena

As we’ve seen before, DVD Jon loves messing with Apple. And now he’ll get his chance in a major way. Jon Lech Johansen (better known as DVD Jon), the co-founder of doubleTwist, a company attempting to circumvent the iTunes/iPod ecosystem, has posted the subpoena he’s received to turn in documents related to Apple in an anti-trust case against them.

The subpoena (posted below), is basically a bunch of legal speak, but it’s pretty clear that the court is interested in obtaining any and all documents DVD Jon has that may be relevant to the case surrounding the legality of the entire iPod/iTunes ecosystem. Specifically, they are looking for documents from January 1, 2003 onward.

The key part is the last part:

IV. Document Requests

1. All communications with Apple concerning your efforts to make iPod inter-operable with digital audo and/or video recordings purchased from online stores other than the iTunes Store and/or your efforts to make digital audio and/or video recordings purchased from iTunes Store inter-operable with portable digital media players other than iPod, including, but not limited to, your efforts to circumvent and/or reverse engineer FairPlay.

2. All communication with Apple concerning the licensing of FairPlay.

3. All documents and communications concerning Apple’s attempts to prevent your efforts to circumvent or reverse engineer FairPlay.

Find the subpoena below.

Apple Antitrust Subpoena

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

Source: TechCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:15 pm

RFID-secured hard drive: sexy if it works

This little Freecom drive may look modest, but not only is it packing 2TB of storage capacity, but it’s secured by RFID, meaning (one hopes) that it’s impossible to access unless you’re right there next to it. It comes with his ‘n hers encrypted RFID cards, so you can keep one wrapped in foil somewhere and the other on your person. It’s even fanless!

All in all it looks like a pretty awesome solution for a small business. Effortless security, plenty of space, no noise. Now for the bad news. First, it costs $500. Yeah, I know — 2TB normally costs about half that. Second, Freecom is a mostly European outfit, so it’d be difficult to get anyway. And the last bad news is… they’re sold out.

Still, it’s an awesome little drive. I’ll love it from afar.

[via Gadget Review and EverythingUSB]

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:00 pm

TelcoTV Asia '09 Receives Government Support and Secures Industry's Top Speakers

SHANGHAI, Aug.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:00 pm

Back-To-School Safety Tips

SANTA ANA, Calif., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- It's almost time to send the kids back to school, and some parents may be breathing a sigh of relief after the long, hot summer.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:34 pm

NYC skateboarding legend Andy Kessler has died.

Glen E. Friedman, a photographer who chronicled the birth of skate culture, shares sad news:

If skateboarding was a town, this guy was its mayor. Andy Kessler, one of the good ones, died yesterday apparently of an allergic reaction from a wasp sting that led to a heart attack. This was a great dude, NO ONE could say anything wrong about this dude.

He was one of the oldest, if not the oldest, skater in New York City, holding it down, real since the 70's. Andy will be seriously missed by many including myself. Obituaries and discussion threads: ESPN, bulldogskates, newyorksurf, bulldogskates 2.

Above, a portrait of Kessler around 1976 or 1977 which Glen says was among the skater's favorite. If you know the name of the photog, please share in the comments and I'll amend the post. Photo credit, via a commenter in this thread: "KESS cuttin' it off the lip at the 9' marker, the Deathbowl in Riverdale, 1978. (Photo by Marc André Edmonds)"

Another striking portrait, skating the streets of Manhattan, here.

After the jump: a 2007 video interview. Kessler immediately strikes you as a gentle, thoughtful person -- who could shred like nobody.

Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:32 pm

Supreme Court Review of Bilski Heats Up

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "The Supreme Court's review of In Re Bilski (discussed here numerous times) is heating up, having attracted no less than 44 friend-of-the-court briefs from almost everyone with a stake in the patent system. Patently-O provides a nice summary of who is arguing against Bilski. The two questions before the Supreme Court are whether or not a process must satisfy the particular machine or transformation test, and whether this test improperly excludes many business methods in spite of the wording of 35 U.S.C. 273, which specifically allows business-method patents. So far, the case has attracted legal filings from nearly every large company or group whose patents might be threatened. You can read briefs from Yahoo, IBM, Borland, Dolby Labs, the BSA, and many others, even one from some guy claiming to speak on behalf of the State of Oregon."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:30 pm

Ozzy will close out Blizzcon this year

Oh dear. So not only is Ozzy Osbourne in a World of Warcraft commercial, but he’s also going to close out next week’s Blizzcon with a rock-n-roll concert. Break out your lighter Apps!

Blizzard’s CEO, Mike “Money Bags” Morhaime, said:

Our goal with BlizzCon is to deliver an unforgettable weekend of entertainment, and we can’t think of a better way to close out this year’s show than having Ozzy rock the house.

Indeed. I don’t know how much the World of Warcraft audience overlaps with Black Sabbath fans, but it could well be fun.

Longtime CrunchGear readers will remember Ozzy performing in Times Square for the launch of Madden in 2007. I met comedians Jim Norton and Jim Florentine that day. It was the happiest day of my life pretty much.

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:30 pm

Razer and Blizzard: partners in StarCraft II swag

I never thought I’d see anything at all labeled “Zerg Edition,” but nerdy times call for nerdy measures. In this case, Blizzard and Razer are joining forces to put out some sweet StarCraft II gear. Right now the only thing available is this Zerg messenger bag, but I’m sure they’ll be coming out with much more soon, including custom hardware (probably with individual announcements for each, if I know these guys). I’m not caught up on my StarCraft lore, so I don’t know who the Zerg-lady is on the bag, but I’m sure you do.

Pricing is “TBD,” which is either an abbreviation for “Ten Billion Dollars” or they’re not sure yet. I’d ballpark it at about $90, since that’s what their other bags cost and this one appears to be identical to the regular bag except for the graphic.

Source: CrunchGear | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:00 pm

Brain-Damaged Radar Alert Lacks User-Friendly Nav

When this detector's display reads "30," you don't know if you're going 30 miles per hour or if there's a camera 30 feet down the road. Up for memorizing the owner's manual so you can decode your data?

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:00 pm

Brain-Damaged Radar Alert Lacks User-Friendly Nav

When this detector's display reads "30," you don't know if you're going 30 miles per hour or if there's a camera 30 feet down the road. Up for memorizing the owner's manual so you can decode your data?

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:00 pm

Alestra, S. de R.L. de C.V. Announces Preliminary Results of the Tender Offer for Its 8% Senior Notes due 2010

This announcement is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes. The Tender Offer is only being made pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the related Letter of Transmittal. The Tender Offer is not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. The Tender Offer is not being made to any holders of Notes in Italy. In the United Kingdom, the Tender Offer is being made only to specified eligible holders of Notes, as set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Restrictions on the Tender Offer may also apply in other jurisdictions. The Tender Offer is not being made to, and tenders of Notes by Holders will not be accepted from, any person in any jurisdiction that requires that the Tender Offer or the distribution of the Offer Documents be made by a licensed broker or dealer. In addition, this announcement is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of any offers to buy any new notes. The offering of new notes has not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the new notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 5:53 pm

Eazyrecruit Warns Firms to Beware of Blogging

NEW YORK, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- As the global phenomenon of blogging continues to sweep the USA and Europe, online resourcing firm Eazyrecruit is advising both employers and their staff to guard against the potential pitfalls of keeping an online diary.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 5:53 pm

Zune HD News Bits: Amazon confirms pricing and special Zune HD features

Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Video, Portable Video, Web, Websites

Recently, the Zune HD has appeared on many tech blogs and websites in terms of pricing and some initial impressions.  Let’s see what we know so far about the device touted to save Microsoft’s MP3 player ambitions. 

Best Buy shows off Zune HD prices?

This morning, I wrote an article which featured images from Best Buy’s inventory.  Basically, those images revealed some very important information: pricing and an availability date.  A September 8 release date was revealed, as well as a $220 and a $290 price tag for the 16 GB and 32 GB models, respectively.  While Best Buy is a good source to confirm rumors, it would be better if Microsoft could officially state something like, “Yes, these are the prices for the Zune HD and it will be available on September 8.” 

Amazon leaks Zune HD price, same as Best Buy

Of course, that would be too easy, but today Amazon posted the pricing of both Zune models on their product listing.  As you can probably imagine, the prices they listed match with the $220 and $290 originally listed by Best Buy.  So what does all this mean?  Chances are these are the real prices for the Zune HD and they compete very well with the $275 16GB Apple iPod Touch and the $370 32GB iPod Touch.  It’s important to keep in mind September is traditionally the month where Apple reveals new iPods and slashes the pricing of old iPods. 

Bing in the Zune

Switching gears slightly now, it has been confirmed the Zune HD will have integrated Microsoft Bing searching.  While this isn’t exactly breaking news, it is nice to know Microsoft didn’t do something bizarre like have Google Search as opposed to Bing. 

Zune HD refresher

In case you forgot what makes the Zune HD hailed as the Microsoft savior, here are some enticing specs.  For starters, the Zune supports HD output, meaning it can output HD video up to 720p.  In addition, the type of screen the Zune HD uses is another strong point.  Microsoft decided to go with the OLED screen which allows for deeper colors and a more vibrant screen.  Unlike traditional LCD screens, OLED screens don’t rely on backlight, rather the organic elements within the OLED screen create its own backlight.  Furthermore, the Zune HD features FM radio, which isn’t all that impressive until you consider the fact that it features HD radio - a feature not commonly seen in MP3 players. 

With all the features listed above combined with a cheaper price tag, the Zune HD is one of the few true competitors to the iPod Touch.  It will be interesting to see how the public views the Zune HD when it is officially made available. 

Images via [Gizmodo] and [Cnet]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 5:33 pm

A new tiny tripod with attitude (Macworld.com)

Macworld.com - If you primarily use a small point-and-shoot camera, chances are you don't haul around a cumbersome tripod as well. Just because you're packing light is no reason to let shaky hands or low-light keep you from getting a steady shot. Up your game by having a small, portable and, yes, adorable tripod on your person at all times.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2009 | 5:20 pm

Microsoft Office coming to Nokia handsets

It looks like Microsoft and Nokia, beleaguered giants of the mobile industry, are forming an alliance in order to defend against the alternative smartphone onslaught. Details are scarce at the moment, but tomorrow is guaranteed to see us better informed. What we know is that Microsoft has been expanding the platforms Office 2010 will work on, which now includes several browsers. I think it’s safe to assume that Nokia will soon be an official partner, not limited to accessing the app suite via the browser.

The move is a smart one, I’d say, since they face major competition in the mobile office arena by the rapidly evolving Android and Google Apps (among others). I don’t say from the iPhone, because really, who’s going to do real work on that thing?

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 5:08 pm

Google Code Jam returns

Are you energized by cracking conundrums? Are you keen to crank out some code? Here at Google, we know the rush of encountering a challenge and rising to meet it, transforming a problem into a solution and a solution into code. Since 2003, we've been sharing that experience with a global community of computer scientists through our annual programming competition, Google Code Jam.

Today, we're excited to announce Google Code Jam 2009, powered by Google App Engine. This year, contestants will compete in several 2½-hour online rounds, attacking three to four difficult algorithmic problems during each round. To code up solutions to the problems, they'll use the programming language and tools of their choice; when those solutions are ready, they'll try them against our fiendish test data. One wrong answer out of a hundred, and it's back to the drawing board!

Registration opens today. So visit the Google Code Jam site to register, read the rules and — most importantly — begin to practice by trying out the problems from last year's contest, so you'll be in shape when the qualification round starts on September 2. After four tough rounds of online competition, the top 25 competitors will be flown to our Mountain View headquarters to to match wits for the $5,000 first prize — and the title of Code Jam champion.

On your mark, get set... CODE!

Posted by Bartholomew Furrow, 20% Tech Lead for Google Code Jam
Source: The Official Google Blog | 11 Aug 2009 | 5:00 pm

McKool Smith: Judge Upholds Verdict, Enhances Damages, Issues Permanent Injunction Against Microsoft in Patent Infringement Lawsuit

For more information, please contact Bruce Vincent at 800.559.4534 or bruce@androvett.com.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:54 pm

Sensor To Monitor TV Watchers Demoed At Cable Labs

An anonymous reader writes "Cable operators at the semi-annual CableLab's Innovation Showcase have informally voted as best new product a gizmo that can determine how many people are watching a TV. Developed by Israeli company PrimeSense, the product lets digital devices see a 3-D view of the world (the images look like something from thermal imaging). In other words, that cable set-top box will know whether three people are sitting on the sofa watching TV and how many are adults vs. children. Do we really need cable and/or video service operators knowing this? It all happens via a chip that resides in a camera that plugs into the set-top box."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:47 pm

Tr.im Is Back, but for How Long? Try “Two or Three Months.” [MediaMemo]

There’s a small but raucous celebration breaking out in the geekier corners of the Internet right now because Tr.im, the Web address shortener headed for death row, has had a stay of execution. But don’t get too excited: Tr.im’s owner tells me he’s keeping it alive in order to sell the service–but says he has no interested buyers.

So, “the idea is that in two or three months, if nothing’s changed, we’ll have to revisit the decision,” says Eric Woodward, CEO of tr.im’s parent company, Nambu Networks.

That’s substantially less expansive than the language Woodward used in his blog post today, where he said “Nambu will keep tr.im operating going forward, indefinitely.” But it makes sense.

That’s because over the last couple of days, both on the Web and in conversations with me, Woodward has repeatedly explained why he can’t make a business out of Nambu. (In short, he says that Twitter has killed all competition by blessing rival address shortener bit.ly; the bit.ly guys, for their part, insist that their Twitter deal has been just a small part of their success.)

He’s also said that he’s been unable to find an “acceptable” buyer for the site up to now–though bit.ly itself has made an offer that he deemed to low–and that during the hubbub of the last day or so, that hasn’t changed. “The interest that we’re getting is overwhelmingly from people who want to hijack the links,” he says.

Maybe there’s a buyer who sees value where both Woodward and his rejected suitors don’t. And obviously, if you’re trying to sell a business, it’s better to keep it running than to announce you’re shutting it down. But if you’ve already declared it dead once, reviving it is going to be a very tough task.

Source: All Things Digital | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:46 pm

Slideshow of distorted celebrity faces

Michael Dare's Adventures with Power Goo from Michael Dare on Vimeo.

I liked this a lot more than I guessed I would. The ones of Abe Lincoln are especially good.

Emulsional Problems

Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:45 pm

Salesforce.com To Present Luncheon Keynote at ACCE 2009 Addressing the Convergence of Customer Service and the Web

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of customer service in an increasingly web-based world will be the focus of a newly added luncheon keynote address at the ICMI ACCE Conference & Expo, October 5-9, 2009 in Las Vegas.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:42 pm

AMAT Sees FY Q4 Profit; Revs Up 10-20 Percent Vs. Q3 [Voices]

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

Applied Materials (AMAT) CFO George Davis told investors on a conference call this afternoon that the company sees 10-20 percent sequential revenue growth for the fiscal fourth quarter ending in October, with EPS ranging from break even to a positive 4 cents. The company expects orders to growth sequentially, but did not give a specific forecast.

The revenue forecast implies $1.24 billion to $1.36 billion, well above the Street consensus at $1.07 billion, although down from $2.04 billion a year ago.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

Source: All Things Digital | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:41 pm

History Offers Hope Swine Flu Won't Gain Strength in Fall

A new analysis of past pandemics suggests spring waves of flu are not often followed by a more contagious or deadly fall flu, as many believe.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:30 pm

Apple, Record Labels Diverge Over Next-Gen Full-Album Music Format

Apple and the four major labels prepare music formats containing full albums and related goodies in a digital bundle that's meant to be as rich an experience for consumers as the vinyl people used to buy. It's also more profitable for the labels.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:18 pm

Microsoft plans Office tie-up with Nokia (Reuters)

Reuters - Microsoft Corp said it will announce an alliance with Nokia (NOK1V.HE) on Wednesday, likely unveiling plans to make the software company's Office suite of applications available on devices made by the world's top cellphone manufacturer.

Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:16 pm

Reports of IE Hijacking NXDOMAINs, Routing To Bing

Jaeden Stormes writes "We just started getting word of a new browser hijack from our sales force. 'Some site called Bing?' they said. Sure enough, since the patches last night, their IE6 and IE7 installations are now routing all NXDOMAINs to Bing. Try it out — put in something like www.DoNotHijackMe.com." We've had mixed results here confirming this: one report that up-to-date IE8 behaves as described. Others tried installing all offered updates to systems running IE6 and IE7 and got no hijacking. Update: 08/11 23:24 GMT by KD : Readers are reporting that it's not Bing that comes up for a nonexistent domain, it's the user's default search engine (noting that at least one Microsoft update in the past changed the default to Bing). There may be nothing new here.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:01 pm

WATCH: Storm Damage Detailed by Light

Hurricane destruction can shed light on what made an area so vulnerable.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:00 pm

Video: How the Internet Saved Trick 'r Treat

The low-budget horror film weaves four stories that take place on Halloween night. The film languishes in distribution hell for a few years until festival screenings and film blogs help resurrect it.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:00 pm

Alt Text: Apple's Appalling Approach to iPhone App Approvals

Cupertino swings a heavy banhammer when it comes to developers' applications for its precious phone. In Alt Text land, these crazy creations wouldn't make the cut.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:53 pm

Double defect prevents movement disorder

U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:45 pm

Study Sizes Up Nanoparticle Sizing

As a result of a major inter-laboratory study, the standards body ASTM International has been able to update its guidelines for a commonly used technique for measuring the size of nanoparticles in solutions.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:38 pm

Discovery To Aid Study Of Biological Structures

Researchers in the United States and Spain have discovered that a tool widely used in nanoscale imaging works differently in watery environments, a step toward better using the instrument to study biological molecules and structures.The researchers demonstrated their new understanding of how the instrument - the atomic force microscope - works in water to show detailed properties of a bacterial membrane and a virus called Phi29, said Arvind Raman, a Purdue professor of mechanical engineering."People using this kind of instrument to study biological structures need to know how it works in the natural watery environments of molecules and how to interpret images," he said.An atomic force microscope uses a tiny vibrating probe to yield information about materials and surfaces on the scale of nanometers, or billionths of a meter.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:35 pm

Penguin Puts High-performance Computing in the Cloud (PC World)

PC World - Penguin Computing, which builds high-performance Linux clusters for tasks like weather modelling and product design, is taking its business into the cloud.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:30 pm

BB Video: Xeni with Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh (pt 1)

(Download / Watch on YouTube)

Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding, co-creators, writers, and stars of the hit "psychedelic comedy" series The Mighty Boosh, stopped to talk with Boing Boing Video during a recent US tour.

Their show has been aptly described as "a Sid and Marty Krofft production engineered by Frank Zappa [with] fantastic plots, genre parody, warped songcraft and quick-witted off-road conversations." Barratt and Fielding crafted a weird, playful universe with odd characters -- a talking gorilla, a stoned shaman, a tentacled and disembodied hot pink head -- that quickly converts viewers into obsessed fans.

The Boosh gang were in the states to promote the US release of a three-season DVD set. They drew crazed costumed throngs of fans at Comic-Con and signing appearances, and played to packed houses in New York and Los Angeles. The US television network Adult Swim recently begain airing episodes.

In this interview, Noel and Julian speak about their crazed trufans (who craft outlandish, wonderfully nerdy costumes), why reviewers always think hallucinogenic drugs are involved in the show's creation -- and the guys kick things off with a Boing Boing crimp. What's a crimp? Watch and enjoy.

(Special thanks to Mark Kleiman and Stefanie Fletcher for their generous support of this Boing Boing Video interview series.)


Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:25 pm

Scientists Control Living Cells With Light

University of Central Florida researchers have shown for the first time that light energy can gently guide and change the orientation of living cells within lab cultures.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:22 pm

NextWorth introduces new recycling service for cell phones

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Gadgets / Other, Green, Web, Websites

Today NextWorth introduced its new cell phone trade in service.  The company, which specializes in trade in and recycling programs for electronics, will now accept cell phones from every carrier and manufacturer.  Simply go to their site, search for your device in their database, provide the requested information about condition and accessories included and an instant quote is provided.  You can chose to receive your money as a check, payment via Paypal, or as a Target or Amazon giftcard.  If your device has no value, they will still take it for recycling and offer free shipping to them.

“We are absolutely thrilled about what this program will do to enhance the customer experience and make it even more convenient to trade-in, trade-up or trade-out cell phones from every carrier and manufacturer for cash, or a gift card from your favorite retailer, all while helping the environment,” said Dave Chen, CEO of NextWorth. “Who doesn’t have a handful of old phones sitting in their desk drawers, closets or basement? By making the selling process easy and giving meaningful dollars and free shipping, NextWorth will help you do your part to make money and reduce ewaste one phone, one gadget at a time”.

I have a couple of old cellphones so I checked the site out.  One glaring omission was immediately apparent when I looked up my LG Lotus.  Despite their claim of having every cellphone in their database, they’ve omitted LG completely—that’s disappointing and a bit strange.  My old Palm Centro, which is in perfect shape, received a quote of $19.96.  Just as a comparison, Sprint’s buyback program offered me $50.

Offers for other phones though were more generous.  Got an original iPhone?  They’ll give you $122 for it.  A Palm Pre will get you $105, and a Blackberry Storm $83.  I think the site has a good idea behind it - after all getting even a little cash for old electronics is better than none at all and having them not end up in a landfill is a bonus.  If you decide to give NextWorth a try, let us know how it goes!

Company Site: [NextWorth]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:22 pm

Intel Licenses NVIDIA SLI Technology For P55 Chips

adeelarshad82 writes "NVIDIA announced that Intel has licensed the company's SLI technology for inclusion in upcoming products — as have a slew of major hardware partners such as ASUS, EVGA, Gigabyte, and MSI. This means the P55 chipsets that power those new socket LGA 1156 motherboards, which are based around the next-gen Nehalem architecture, will let you build systems using two or four NVIDIA-powered GPUs. Specifically, the licensing agreement covers the Core i5 and Core i7 microprocessors."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:08 pm

Hunter-Gatherer House Reveals Stone Age Lifestyle

The prehistoric house gives a glimpse of domestic life 4,000 years before Stonehenge.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:00 pm

New light-emitting biomaterial created

U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:47 pm

Dara O’Briain on homeopathy from Derren Brown Blog

Great stand-up bit about homeopathy, new age "thinking," and other follies. (Salty language ahoy) (Via Derren Brown)


Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:47 pm

Another misshapen frozen treat

I'm glad I came across this photo, because readers enjoy photos of disappointing popsicles almost as much as videos of girls playing the ukulele!

(Via Bits & Pieces)

Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:45 pm

Online Survey: The New BlackBerry Tour Is a Hit With the Matlock Set [MediaMemo]

BlackBerry’s new Tour has garnered fairly positive reviews from the geek press. But Research in Motion’s  (RIMM) latest handset has been a really big hit with the oldsters.

At least that’s the suggestion from consumer research service YouGov, which measures “brand perception” via an online panel. YouGov’s BrandIndex survey, which interviews 5,000 people a day and rates brand scores on a scale from 100 to minus-100, shows a big spike over the last couple months for BlackBerry. Adults 35-49 gave the brand a value score of 7.5 on July 21, but by August 4, that number increased to 18.

The BrandIndex people figure that jump stems from the introduction of the Tour, and particularly from the push that Verizon (VZ) has given it–Sprint (S) is also selling the handset, but is keeping that news to itself for the most part. Go to a Sprint store and try to find a Tour. It’s not easy!

But! Even while the oldsters thought more favorably about the BlackBerry, young folks seem to have turned on it: Adults 18-34 gave the brand a value score of 21.5 on July 7, but that number tumbled to 7.9 by August 4. Here’s the chart (click to enlarge):

What gives? One suggestion: Verizon’s decision to drop the prices for almost all of its smartphones (but not the Tour) to $99, which presumably makes the BlackBerry product look…I don’t know…more expensive? I’m not buying it.

Anyway, I’ve been in the old fogey demo for several years now, and I will say, the Tour appeals to me. But then again, that’s mostly because the noisy complaints I hear about the iPhone–primarily AT&T’s (T) lousy coverage and the machine’s puny battery–have kept me from making the leap to Apple (AAPL).

Still, for now I’m hemming and hawing, Hamlet style, on my big purchase. Perhaps I’ll write a post when I make a decision!

Source: All Things Digital | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:30 pm

China Celebrates Giant Pandas

China is set to retrace the journey of Pere Jean Pierre Armand David, the French Catholic missionary who made giant pandas known to the West.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:30 pm

Dan Clowes interviewed by Mike Sacks: "Sylvester P. Smythe is the most unappealing character of all time"

Here's a great interview with Eightball's Dan Clowes that didn't make it into Mike Sacks' book, Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers On Their Craft.

Q: Were you even a fan of Cracked?

A: No one was ever a fan of Cracked.

Growing up, my friends − okay, "friend" − and I used to think of Cracked as a stopgap. We would buy Mad every month, but about two weeks later we would get anxious for new material. We would tell ourselves, Okay, we are not going to buy Cracked. Never again! And we'd hold out for a while, but then as the month dragged on it just became, Okay, fuck it. I guess I'll buy Cracked.

Q: It was like comedy methadone.

A: Right. Then you'd bring it home, and immediately you'd remember, Oh yeah, I hate Cracked. I don't understand any of the jokes, and [Cracked mascot] Sylvester P. Smythe is the most unappealing character of all time.

Shown above, Dan Clowes cover for DC's Bizarro Comics, which was rejected. I thought it was fitting for this rejected interview.

Dan Clowes interviewed by Mike Sacks


Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:23 pm

Disney Netbook

A Pink Eee with Disney's logo on it: it could not be more perfunctory, could it? [Amazon]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:23 pm

Astronaut to spend three months on the ISS

U.S. astronaut Nicole Stott is scheduled to make her first journey into orbit to spend three months aboard the International Space Station, NASA said. She will be aboard space shuttle Discovery when it launches Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:20 pm

MSI: Our Notebooks Are So Thin You Can Shove Them up Your Derriere

OK, really. How do these people even get jobs in advertising? First there was Microsoft’s repulsive “Oh My God I’m Gonna Puke” ad for Internet Explorer 8. Now there’s Micro-Star International’s ad involving dudes heaving laptops into each other’s butt cracks. We get the point: Your notebooks are thin. But really now. Don’t do anything like this ever again — no ifs, ands or butts about it.

Via Gizmodo

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:14 pm

Adobe Flash Cookies Raising Privacy Questions Again

Nearly a year after we discussed the privacy implications of Flash cookies, they are in the news again as the US government considers revising its cookie policy. Wired covers a study out of UC Berkeley exposing questionable practices used by many of the Internet's most-visited Web sites (abstract). The most questionable activity the report exposes is known as "respawning": after a user has deleted browser tracking cookies, some sites will use information in Flash cookies to recreate them. The report names two companies, Clearspring and QuantCast, whose technologies reinstate cookies for other Web sites. "Federal websites have traditionally been banned from using tracking cookies, despite being common around the web — a situation the Obama administration is proposing to change as part of an attempt to modernize government websites. But the debate shouldn't be about allowing browser cookies or not, according Ashkan Soltani, a UC Berkeley graduate student who helped lead the study. 'If users don't want to be tracked and there is a problem with tracking, then we should regulate tracking, not regulate cookies,' Soltani said."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:10 pm

Satellites Track, Improve French Wine Crop

French winemakers are using satellite imagery to improve their grape harvests.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2009 | 2:00 pm

Rumor: O2 UK Getting The Palm Pre On October 30th?

Good news, UK folk! You’re getting the Pre sooner than previously thought! Well, only slightly. Last we’d heard, Brits were going to have to wait until right around Christmas before getting their hands on Palm’s wunderkind.

MyPre has it on good word that the date is now set for October 30th, which pushes it well outside of the Christmas rush. It’s still pretty dang late, coming in just shy of 5 months after the US release - but it could be a whole lot worse.

The tipster didn’t get too specific about price, but did say that both the device cost and the monthly bill should come in around the same price as the iPhone 3GS.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:50 pm

'Lost' Star Elizabeth Mitchell Fights Aliens in 'V' Reboot

The '80s sci-fi series about rat-eating "Visitors" with ulterior motives gets a 21st-century update from ABC this fall.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:46 pm

Genes aid in hereditary lung disease

U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:41 pm

Nanotubes made without metal catalyst

Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say they have created carbon nanotubes without using a metal catalyst. The scientists said their finding that oxides, as well as metals, can grow carbon nanotubes changes science's understanding of nanotube growth. Carbon nanotubes -- tiny tubes of graphite -- promise to add speed to electronic circuits and strength to materials such as carbon composites that are used in airplanes and race cars.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:37 pm

French Winemakers Reap Benefits From Satellite Technology

French winegrowers are harnessing the benefits of satellite imagery to enrich their grape harvests, combining modern technology with the ancient art of winemaking.Originally developed to help producers of grain, the Oenoview system combines satellite images and vine analysis to assist oenologists in determining when grapes planted under varying conditions will be ready for harvest.The system works by providing winemakers vital information about their berries, such as the amount of water the fruit contains and how much to prune the vines.Along with makers of other luxury goods, winegrowers have struggled amid the global economic slowdown.  They say the Oenoview system is as a vital tool that helps conserve efforts and best determine when to harvest fruit."I am getting years of information," winemaker Stephen Carrier told the AFP news agency."Rather than waiting years and then being able to say 'Ah, I know my plots of land,' I have a tool that I can pass down,” said Carrier, who uses the system at the Chateau de Fieuzal vineyard in Graves, in southern France’s famous Bordeaux wine region."That will allow me to work for future generations," he said.Used infrared images obtained from the Taiwanese satellite Formosat 2, which passes over France every day, researchers discovered  a critical link between the quantity of vegetation on the vines and the quality of the grape.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:35 pm

Judge Dismisses Mac Cloner Psystar’s Bankruptcy

A judge has granted Mac cloner Psystar’s motion to dismiss its bankruptcy filing under the stipulation that the company could not file for bankruptcy again for six months, which would stall Apple’s lawsuit.

Psystar in May filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy protection with the Florida courts. The move temporarily put Apple’s legal case on hold while the bankruptcy court began proceedings. Then Psystar moved to drop the bankruptcy saying it could not handle two cases simultaneously.

Judge William Alsup granted Psystar’s request to dismiss the bankruptcy filing under the condition that for a period of six months, the company could not file for bankruptcy a second time to continue to stall Apple’s lawsuit. (For a more detailed report written in legalese, see MacObserver’s article.)

Apple in July 2008 filed suit against Psystar alleging copyright, trademark and shrink-wrap license infringement — three months after Psystar opened its Mac clone business, selling a PC hacked to run Mac OS X Leopard.

Apple forbids its operating system to be installed on anything but Apple products. The corporation alleges Psystar is violating the Mac OS X end-user agreement, which states, “You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so.” The corporation also alleges Psystar is committing copyright infringement by installing OS X on non-Apple hardware.

Psystar and Apple are scheduled for a Jan. 11. 2010 trial unless a settlement on summary judgment is reached before that date.

See Also:

• Mac Cloner Psystar Files for Bankruptcy
• Apple, Psystar File to Protect Secrets Before Battling in Court …
• Mac Copycat Psystar Gets Ammo to Countersue Apple
• Psystar Marches Forward With Beefy Mac Clone
• Psystar: Blu-Ray Hackintosh for Sale; MacBook Clones on the Way …
• Psystar: Apple Is Paranoid for Alleging Conspiracy
• Psystar Tags Back Apple With Antitrust Suit
• Apple Cries Corporate Conspiracy Behind Psystar
• Apple Finally Sues Mac Copycat Psystar

Image: Psystar

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:33 pm

MS — Dropping IE6 Support "Not an Option"

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft wants to see IE6 gone as much as anyone else, but the company isn't going to make the decision for its users anytime soon. The software giant has been pushing IE6 and IE7 users to move to IE8 ever since it arrived in March 2009, but it's still up to the user to make the final decision to upgrade: 'The engineering point of view on IE6 starts as an operating systems supplier. Dropping support for IE6 is not an option because we committed to supporting the IE included with Windows for the lifespan of the product. We keep our commitments. Many people expect what they originally got with their operating system to keep working whatever release cadence particular subsystems have. As engineers, we want people to upgrade to the latest version. We make it as easy as possible for them to upgrade. Ultimately, the choice to upgrade belongs to the person responsible for the PC.'" Of course some big Web sites aren't waiting for Microsoft. Reader Yamir writes, "Google's Orkut, a social networking service popular in Brazil and India, has started warning IE6 users that the browser will no longer be supported. Just last month, YouTube started showing a similar message."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:31 pm

Record labels trying to push yet another file format for music

Section: Audio, Web, Online Music/Video

In yet another example of the music industry trying to say that they understand what’s going on with distributing music through the web, the record labels are trying to push a new format that will attempt to replace the album.  The format, called CMX, will be a single download that will contain the songs of the album, artwork, videos and “mobile products.”  It will come with a unique splash page that will provide access to all those features.

Interestingly enough, the major labels (EMI, Warner, Universal, and Sony) all approached Apple with this idea 18 months ago as the way to drum up interest in albums rather than simply singles.  Apple refused, and seems to be working on a competitive format code-named Cocktail that’s rumored to be launching with the rumored Apple tablet.  That alone means the labels might be onto something, or at least Apple thinks so and the details we don’t yet know might possibly make the format work.

What’s missing here, however, is why anyone would purchase the new format. Digital music sales have long been single downloads, though there are those few who do buy whole albums from Apple, Amazon or any other digital music site.  Those music sales tend to be transferred from computers to MP3 players, phones, or just about any other device that’s come out in the past few years. 

Knowing the music industry, there would likely be DRM on CMX files which may limit those capabilities.  Even if there isn’t DRM, we want to be able to do what we want with our music.  Those who download music tend to make playlists with their music and there’s no word on how that would work if all is contained in the CMX files.  If we’re able to extract music from the CMX files for playlists at decent bitrates, and if the launch bands include something better than U2, there’s no reason not to check it out, if only to try it out.

Read [Times Online]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 1:18 pm

SUVs Officially Dead as Explorer Tops Cash-for-Clunkers Trades

The same vehicle that ushered in the SUV craze ushers it out.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:55 pm

Google Wants Testers for Its Latest Search Algorithm

Help Google test its newest search-box tech. The changes are meant to keep the company's search faster, smarter and more comprehensive. Take the comparison test and see how it works for you.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:40 pm

Zune HD Priced Cheaper Than the iPod Touch

Zune HD, Microsoft’s answer to Apple iPod Touch, is likely to launch in less than a month and it promises to be much cheaper than its rival.

Amazon, which has started taking pre-orders for the device, has listed the 16 GB Zune HD player for $220 and the 32 GB version for $290. Compare that to $275  for the 16 GB iPod Touch and $370 for the 32 GB version. Microsoft is yet to confirm the pricing for Zune HD or the launch date.

Microsoft’s move will give Zune a real shot at catching up to its competitor. Since its launch in 2006, Zune has been struggling to make a dent in the iPod’s massive market share. According to research firm NPD, in the first half of the year Zune’s market share was about 2 percent compared to about 70 percent for the iPod.

But, clearly, Microsoft hasn’t given up on this battle. In May, the company announced a new version of the Zune media player called Zune HD. Zune HD has a 3.3-inch capacitive OLED screen with multi-touch functionality, Wi-Fi, HD radio and an Internet browser. The device will also have HD video output capability.

We got some hands on time with the device last week and our first impressions have been good. Zune HD’s crisp OLED screen and easy multi-touch interface has the potential to turn the player into a viable competitor to the iPod Touch.

Add to this the competitive pricing vs. the Touch, and it is likely to be Zune’s best chance for a comeback.

See Also:

• Hands-On With the Zune HD
• Zune HD Official: Multi-Touch, OLED and… Radio?
• 80GB Zune Reviewed, Verdict: One Small Step for Media Players, One …

Photo: Dylan Tweney / Wired.com

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:38 pm

LG survey shows netbooks, “blooming” keyboards, and ultra-dumb phones

Surveys are fun. Some ask you your favorite color, purely for the sake of science. Others help you determine which Twilight character you are. Our favorites are the ones that reveal all of the awesome concepts handset manufacturers are cracking away at behind closed doors.

Take this latest one from LG, as spotted by an EngadgetMobile reader, for example. In but a few pages of text, three crazy concepts are unveiled:

• Netbook integration: Like Nokia, LG apparently wants to get into the Netbook biz. The twist here, however, is integration: Somehow, this “Synergy” netbook (No, not that Synergy) would tie into your smartphone (whether it would work on many LG phones or just one specific model is unspecified) and allow you to answer calls and texts without whipping out your phone. We’re not quite sure why this requires dedicated hardware - why not just make it a software solution and make future LG phones compatible with it?
• “Blooming” keyboards: This one’s the craziest of the bunch. Imagine a folding QWERTY keyboard, like the enV 2 - except that the keyboard, rather than staying flat, “blooms” out to a curved surface when you open the phone. This expands the space between keys without making the handset huge. It sounds awesome, but it’s difficult to imagine how usable a crazy curved keyboard would actually be.



• Elva Text Messaging Phone: Take any QWERTY phone. Strip it down to just the keyboard and a crap two-line display. Call it the Elva and sell it for $50 bucks. With smartphones becoming cheaper and cheaper and entry level handsets becoming more and more capable, we’re already starting to view feature phones as a waste of plastic. Further dumbification seems like a terrible idea to us.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:38 pm

3-D Printers Make Manufacturing Accessible

3-D printers can take blobs of plastic and shape them into almost any object you desire. Now, thanks to open source hardware designs and enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers, these printers are increasingly popular and accessible. People are using them to fabricate iPod docks, plastic bracelets, hair clips and miniature teapots at home.

The latest is Makerbot, a 3-D printer that started shipping in April and has sold more than 200 machines.

“You put it together, and it makes things for you,” says Bre Pettis, co-founder of Makerbot. “Engineers, artists, architects and designers are getting [Makerbots] to turn the things of their imagination into real, physical objects.”

Makerbot also has a vibrant online community that is sharing designs and tips on how to churn out shiny little toys in just a few hours.

3-D printers can make it as easy to create small objects out of plastic as it is to print text on a sheet of paper. But until recently, they cost a few thousand dollars, putting them of the reach of crafting enthusiasts. Now a wave of open source desktop prototyping devices such as Makerbot and RepRap are trying to change that. They are fairly inexpensive and backed by a robust community that is happy to share designs, tips and mods. Hobbyists call it ‘having China on your desktop.’

Makerbot is available at store.makerbot.com. It costs $750 for the basic kit and includes, among other things, three NEMA 17 motors to drive the machine; nuts, bolts, bearings, belts and pulleys to assemble it; an electronics motherboard; and a pinch-wheel extruder to shape objects. But if you want all the tools, cables and the power supply, the deluxe kit comes for $950.

Hobbyists must first assemble the Makerbot from the kit. It doesn’t require much beyond a soldering iron and some basic skills, says Pettis.  Most of the electronic boards are pre-assembled and soldered, so users don’t have to do much beyond bolting the different parts together.

Once Makerbot is ready, it’s time to start printing. Users can feed in two kinds of plastics: ABS, the same material that Lego is made of, and HDPE, which is used in milk jugs. Based on the different open source designs available, they can create anything from plastic bracelets to salt and pepper shakers. Makerbot can create things up to 4 by 4 by 6 inches.

“We have a lot of users who come up with wacky items,” says Adam Mayer, a co-founder at Makerbot. “Someone printed a plug for his bath tub using the Makerbot.”

One of the first objects that Mayer created for his Makerbot machine was a ‘Utah teapot‘. The Utah teapot is a 3-D computer model of a teapot that is a standard reference object in the computer-graphics industry, explains Mayer.

“Whenever you have a computer-graphics textbook, there’s a Utah teapot in there,” says Mayer. “In movies, animators will sneak in a Utah-teapot image. I wanted to add a bottom to it and turn it into an object that can be printed off the Makerbot.”

Mayer’s Utah teapot design has been replicated by other Makerbot users.  Because the Makerbot is open source, many of the designs for the objects are available online, and users can download and modify them.

Pettis and his team have created Thingiverse, a site to share the digital designs for Makerbot-created objects. Some ideas there can border on the bizarre. A Creative Commons–licensed model of Walt Disney’s head was recently uploaded to Thingiverse, combined with a model of his brain. The result is a Disney head, ready to be printed out in plastic, and in all its 3-D glory.

Last weekend, Makerbot Cupcake CNC got its own store on Etsy, an eBay-like site for handcrafted objects. The store is the first Etsy shop for 3-D printed goods, and it will carry items such as a monogrammed iPod dock.

“We will have just bot-made items in there,” says Will Langford, 18, a Makerbot user and now an intern at the company. “And keeping in mind the sensibilities of Etsy users, we will have jewelery and artistic items whose prices will be based on how long it takes to print them off the machine.”

For instance, an iPod dock, which takes about 30 minutes to print, is priced at $32.

Langford, 18,  is one of the few users of the 3-D printers looking to take a shot at creating a business out of what has up to now been an extreme sport for hobbyists.  He isn’t counting on making big bucks from his Makerbot Etsy store. It’s a way to get cool-looking 3-D printer products out to a larger audience, he says.

Check out more photos of Makerbot creations below.

Adam Mayer used Makerbot to create this Utah teapot.

Will Langford’s iPod dock is available at the Makerbot Etsy store.

The connectors on Will Langford’s wall clock were created using Makerbot.

See Also:

• Open Source Hardware Hackers Start P2P Bank
• DIY Robotics: The Rise of Open Source Hardware
• Build It. Share It. Profit. Can Open Source Hardware Work?
• Open Source Hardware Project RepRap Creates its First Circuit …

Top photo: Makerbot (Bre Pettis/Flickr)
Bottom photos: Adam Mayer, Will Langford

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:12 pm

3-D Printers Make Manufacturing Accessible

3-D printers, such as Makerbot, can make it as easy to create little objects out of plastic as it is to print text on a sheet of paper. Hobbyists call it "having China on your desktop."

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:12 pm

AT&T doubles up the 3G in Atlanta

Throughout much of the country, AT&T’s 3G can be wonderful. Step into a major city, however, and it tends to grind to a halt. Here in my hometown of San Luis Obispo, for example, it soars; anytime I head to San Francisco or New York, however, it’s practically useless. Speeds are all over the place, with pages loading one time and then timing out the next.

Slowly but surely, AT&T is making changes to their network to improve 3G in major cities. By piping data over the 850mhz spectrum in addition to 1900mhz, they theoretically up network capacity and coverage indoors. The latest to get the upgrade treatment is America’s thirty-third most populated city, Atlanta, Georgia. Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, North Fulton, and Fayette Counties and the Downtown areas should all see general improvements beginning today.

If you’re one of the bajillions of people in a massive city blanketed in gasping 3G, AT&T’s upgrades should hit before too long. Both New York City and San Francisco should be all patched up by the end of 2009.

[Via Phonescoop]

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 12:02 pm

HTC Touch Pro 2 to be T-Mobile’s most expensive phone?

Look - we love the Touch Pro 2, if only because the slide-out QWERTY keyboard is one of the most comfortable and usable keyboards we’ve ever used. We loved it even more once HTC started sneaking 3.5mm jacks into it. But hot damn, T-Mobile wants a lot of money for this thing.

According to a pricing sheet leaked to TmoNews, the Touch Pro 2 is going to set folks back $349 bucks. And that’s on a 2-year contract! Folks only willing to make a 1 year bloodpact have to drop down another $50 bucks, and those looking to get it contract free are going to have to put down $549. Yeeesh. That makes the Touch Pro 2 T-mobile’s most expensive phone, followed far behind by the myTouch and Wing, both at $199 on a 2 year contract. Hell, that makes it one of the most expensive on-contract phones on any carrier.

Lets just hope T-Mobile’s planning to drop a few surprise rebates before this thing goes on sale tomorrow. We like you, Touch Pro 2. But I’m not sure we 400-dolllars like you.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 11:21 am

Customizable ceramic kitchen radio

Check out this ceramic kitchen radio from the designers at Israel's Studio Lama. The greatest thing about it is that you could decorate it any way you want.

[via Dezeen]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 11:13 am

UK's Royal Opera House to perform 'Twitter' opera - The Associated Press

Sydney Morning Herald

UK's Royal Opera House to perform 'Twitter' opera The Associated Press LONDON — It probably won't be "Madame Butterfly," but it should be fun. In an effort to get more people involved with opera, which sometimes suffers from an elitist, highbrow reputation, London's world-famous Royal Opera House is turning away ... John Mayer, Miley Cyrus Should Contribute To The Twitter OperaMTV.com Royal Opera House to stage world's first 'Twitter' operaTopNews United States Tweeting a Musical Masterpiece: World's First Twitter Opera ...FOXNews Sci-Tech Today -AdAge.com -AHN all 433 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 11 Aug 2009 | 11:11 am

Roku adds MLB.TV Premium content to the available lineup

Section: Video, Content

Roku is continuing to expand on their available content selection—now in addition to other goodies such as Neflix and Amazon on Demand, users of the Roku set-top box will also be able to watch content from a premium MLB.TV subscription.

First things first though, in order to watch the MLB content, you will need to be subscribed to MLB.TV’s premium package.  Otherwise, this is going to be rolled out by way of a software update over the next few days, but just in case you are feeling a little impatient you can always go to Settings > Player Info > Check for Update to get it a little quicker.

In terms of what will be available, subscribers will be able to “watch local market or other nationally televised games approximately 90 minutes after they end.”  Just in case you were not able to catch that game right away, you will also be able to view it up to seven days later by way of an on-demand feature.

All things considered, this little $99 set-top box is becoming a pretty good deal.  Especially considering its ease of set-up and use thanks in part to having both a wired Ethernet connection as well as a wireless connection available.

Read [Roku]  Via [Hacking Netflix]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 11:04 am

Internet addiction camp inmates wave signs pleading for help

Handwritten paper signs like these, with words like "SOS" and "Beatings!" on them, were seen floating out of second-story windows at Internet addiction camps in China when a local paper went to further investigate after the recent beating death of a teenaged camper inmate. Shortly after these signs were waved, though, the kids were apparently stopped by the instructors, and we can only imagine what happened after that.

I wonder if there's something Internet "addicts" in the US can do to help put an end to these horrific camps. Infiltrate the Great Firewall of China, maybe, and send cryptic revolutionary messages using chat rooms and Google Translate.

[via Shanghaiist]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 10:34 am

SLIDE SHOW: Typhoon Devastates East Asia

Typhoon Morakot carved across Taiwan, the Philippines and parts of China.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2009 | 10:30 am

No Way I'll look This Cute When I Turn 35

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 10:23 am

French postal service ad turns a MacBook into a spaceship

In this delightful French TV ad for La Poste, France's national postal service, a man demonstrates the process of mailing a letter online. He reads the instructions, clicks on "send via computer," and then, to his surprise, the computer turns into a spaceship and flies out the window. The simplicity of the concept and the way it's materialized is just great, a rarity in a world full of over-processed commercials.

["Transformers" ad for La Poste via AdFreak.com]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 10:18 am

Old-Timey iPhone Dock - Part II

Last night I joined my friend Matt in a wood shop where he works, and we cranked out a couple "iPhone Horns," the Magnavox-powered sound dock Matt invented and I blogged about a few months ago.

We used plunging and table routers, laser-guided saws, power sanders and more. By far, the best moment was the final step: rubbing the blocks with orange oil. Check out my walnut dock before and after...

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 11 Aug 2009 | 10:10 am

Google launches secret search upgrades for developers

Section: Web, Google

In what some could construe as a response to Bing, Google for the past few months has been quietly improving its search engine.  There’s nothing you’ll see on the standard Google page, because the updates haven’t been pushed there yet.  Even visiting the site that includes the upgrades you’re not going to see a difference in the overall experience.

All the major differences in Google’s secret sandbox upgrades are under the hood so-to-speak.  The search results are faster than the current Google and are even capable of returning more results in that shorter period of time.  Google’s aiming for more accurate results, which it seems to have in terms of searching current events when compared to the current search.

Google is denying that this has anything to do with Microsoft’s Bing search engine, though it is a bit strange that we haven’t seen anything this big happen to the Google algorithm recently.  Even if Google isn’t worried about Bing, it wouldn’t be surprising if this is an attempt to get back those few percentage points that Bing took from Google.  Sure, Google has plenty percentage points to spare, but with so much money residing in them, why give them up?

Even if the upgrades aren’t directed at Bing as Google says, they’re still noteworthy.  It’s about time Google updated it’s algorithm, especially to include more up-to-date material on breaking news searches.  Perhaps Google will add more interesting features once it becomes happy with developer response to the sandbox.

Read [CNet News]
Read [Google Webmaster Central Blog]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 9:21 am

Xbox LIVE Update Launches Today - PC World

Video Games Republic

Xbox LIVE Update Launches Today PC World Microsoft has launched an Xbox LIVE dashboard update that contains all kinds of new goodies, plus a look towards the future. While you can download the update today, some of the newer features won't be available until Thursday, August13. ... Xbox 360 Summer dashboard update availableCNET News Xbox Upgrade Includes On-Demand GamingInformationWeek Xbox Live Update: Games On Demand, Netflix NewsChannelWeb Ars Technica -DailyTech -Afterdawn.com all 207 news articles »

Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:49 am

China begins to crack down on ‘naughty’ text messages

“Obscene information not only harms the people’s soul but harms the people’s morality as well.” It’s with that rationale that China has begun to crack down on the scourge of inappropriate (read: “dirty”) text messages. Send one, and you can find yourself behind bars for a little while.

Punishments vary from province to province. In Henan, sending an inappropriate text can land you a 5-day jail sentence. Send three, and you’re facing a 10-day jail sentence and a cool 500 yuan (around $73) fine.

In Liaoning, send such a message and you could face sexual harassment charges.

In Hebei, Communist Party members can expect to be “punished” for sending naughty texts.

Sounds to me that if you want to stay on the right side of the law, you should keep your lewd thoughts to yourself.

Same thing goes here, too: how many times have we read stories about teen girls who send nude photos of themselves to their boyfriends, only for the boyfriend to then forward said photos all over school? Before you know it, you’re on the Today Show telling Matt Lauer (“And now, ‘sexting.’ What is it, and is your child safe?”) how your life is now over because of a stupid thing you did.

So, as we learned yesterday: don’t be an idiot.

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

Source: MobileCrunch | 11 Aug 2009 | 8:29 am

Best Buy screen shots reveal Zune HD pricing

Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Video, Portable Video

The Zune HD has appeared in some pictures already and some lucky people have gotten the chance to play around with it.  Unfortunately, the pricing and availability date still remain a mystery, but it looks like we are taking one step forward to clearing that up.  A few Best Buy inventory leaks are quick to reveal pricing and availability date on the Zune HD 16 GB model as well as the Zune HD 32 GB model.  It will be up to Microsoft or Best Buy to confirm this rumor.  Based on the images, the 16GB Zune HD will be on sale for $220, while the 32GB model will be on sale for $290. 

The whole idea is for Microsoft to make the Zune HD pricing competitive with the iPod Touch pricing.  So if these prices are true, it does align correctly.  Now for the release date.  On each of the images, it says “Street Date” and September 8 is listed.  Such a date does agree with the Fall release explained by Microsoft upon the initial announcement of the device. 

Again this is just a rumor, but the pricing, availability date, and image do look pretty good. 

Via [Gizmodo]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:28 am

Dolphin Speak Relies on Brevity

Dolphins follow the same rule that defines all human language: the law of brevity.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2009 | 7:00 am

Apple Relents, Allows Matte Screen on 15-Inch MacBook Pro

If you don’t like shiny, glossy screens on notebooks, but have just bought a 15-inch MacBook Pro despite this, then it’s time to start whining about how Apple hates you. The company has just reinstated the option to choose a matte-finish on the 15-inch MBP, bringing it into line with its big 17-inch brother. The option to kill reflections will cost you an extra $50 on top of the regular price.

You still don’t have the choice on the slightly more portable 13-inch model, but you never know, it may come one day. I actually prefer the shiny screen, but I work in a darkened basement, dripping with damp and where I am only allowed a one-candle-a-day ration, so glare doesn’t bother me. The funniest part of Apple’s capitulation is the petulance with which it describes the difference between the two screens:

Choose a standard glossy display that lets you view graphics, photos, and videos with richer colors and deeper blacks, or an optional antiglare display.

Product page [Apple]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:57 am

Make It: Velcro Speed-Straps for Fixed Gear Riders

Unless you’re suicidal, when you ride a fixed-gear bike, you’ll want to strap your feet in. Traditionally, this has been done by leather or fabric toe-straps, held open by metal cages, or more recently clip-less pedals, which (paradoxically) clip on to a special cleat in the sole of a cycling shoe.

Recently, another option has started to show up. It’s a wide strap which uses Velcro to secure it to itself, and is stiff enough to remain open even when empty, allowing your feet to slide in. Advantages: lightweight, a good tight fit and works well with any regular shoes. Disadvantages: Very limited availability and therefore relatively high cost. One commercial example is the Brooklyn-made Hold Fast.

And what do we do here on Gadget Lab when we can’t find or afford a piece of kit? We make our own. I paid a visit to the hardware store, spent less than €2, and maybe an hours worth of work (and several hours of laying in bed this morning planning). The result? FootBelts! (FeetBelts is already taken). Follow along and make your own.

First, the hardware. You’ll need some kind of strap or webbing. I used strapping for ratchets. I figured that if it’s strong enough to tighten down a load on a truck, it’s good enough for my feet. It was also cheap, came in a bunch of bright colors and was available in the right size. As ever, don’t worry too much about what I’m using. I headed to the hardware store and poked around to see what looked good. You should do the same. I bought two meters for €1.80 (around $2.50).

The second ingredient is Velcro, and I have a lot left over from various projects. Buy it by the roll (it’s cheaper in bulk) and pick something the same width or narrower than your strapping. Finally, a needle and thread. A sewing machine is quicker, but I don’t have one.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Put a shoe on the pedal and measure how much strap you’ll need. There should be a good foot-width of overlap on the top, as this is where the Velcro will go. Mark, measure again and cut. At this stage I found out that my strapping likes to fray, but happily it’s made of plastic. A quick trip through a lighter flame sealed the ends.

Add Velcro

Part of the strip will be split to thread through the holes in the pedal. I stuck the (self-adhesive) Velcro first and cut through both together. You can do this, or cut separately. The idea is to make a Velcro sandwich, with hooks and loops that clamp onto each other. It’s easier to see than to explain:

The second part of the sandwich is sewn on. This is fairly important for strength, as the seam will take a fair amount of stress. I’m a messy but effective sewer when I’m in a hurry, but this should hold, at least until I make it to a sewing machine.

That’s it. The sizes will depend on the size of your feet and pedals, as well as your material, but the actual setup is straightforward enough. Thread the “forked” part through the pedals from the outside and then up and over your foot. Stick them to the top of the wide strap and then fold the sewn flap over the top to secure.

Ride

I took them for a quick spin and they feel great. I’ll need to do a longer trip to be sure, but I like them so far, and they’ll work with softer summer shoes. Two weak points may be where the strap is split, and the sewn seam. Also, you should really sew the Velcro into place, not just leave it glued. Again, a sewing machine will help.

Good luck, and let us know if you make any of your own. Bonus points for innovations and outlandish colors.

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 6:38 am

BlackBerry Storm 2 images show off its Wi-Fi capability

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

These latest images that have surfaced are showing off the BlackBerry Storm 2 with Wi-Fi.  At first glance that sounds like very good news, however these images are showing off a Vodafone branded Storm 2.

Unfortunately that means that the BlackBerry Storm 2 will have Wi-Fi as a feature, but that does not mean that Verizon is going to have it enabled when it becomes available.  Still, it is something to hope for.

Of course, the previous rumors have suggested that the Verizon branded model will have Wi-Fi enabled.  Otherwise, an official release date has yet to be announced for Verizon, but the Storm 2 is expected to be available sometime in September.

Via [CrackBerry]

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

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Source: Gadgetell | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:44 am

Plungercam: DIY Tilt-Shift Lens

Tilt-shift photography is all what all the cool kids are doing right now. Originally (and still) used to control the plane of focus by tilting the front part of the lens, or shifting it up and down, the tilt-shift lens finds use in architectural and high-end product photography.

It also makes some amazing special effects, enabling you to make a real-life scene look like a tiny model, for example, and is so popular that there is even an iPhone app to apply the effect in post. But the real lenses give the best results, mostly because of the analog unpredictability they introduce. The problem is they cost a fortune.

The Plungercam is a DIY version, using a second-hand lens, a T-mount (camera lens-mount adapter) and some plumbing supplies (hence the name). Version 1.0 used a plastic body-cap to hold the assembly in place, but the T-mount means it is now much more secure on the camera. The lens itself is squished around inside the rubber tubing until you get the effect you want, and is strictly just a tilt-lens (no shift up or down). Think of this as a home-made Lensbaby and you’ll know what to expect.

It was made by Flickr user Captin Nod, and here on his photostream you can see the results of this lens shooting video on a DSLR.

Plungercam 2: cheaper and more predictable [Cow Mooh via Make]

See Also:

• Tilt-Shift Comes to the iPhone
• Metal Heart: Tilt-shifted Time-lapse Monster Truck Rally

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:43 am

CourseSmart Brings 7,000 Text Books to The iPhone

CourseSmart is a provider of e-textbooks, or textbooks converted to a format that can be viewed on a computer. Now, it has brought students everywhere something even more useful: an iPhone application.

CourseSmart is free, but requires an account with the company. If you already use the service you just sign in and have immediate access to all the books you have bought. Browsing the reviews in the App Store, it looks to be a rather well focused first effort — there are some navigation issues, notably no double-tap to zoom, but apparently the texts are clear, and the search works very well.

There are no note-taking functions, but this is possibly outweighed by the biggest advantage: you don’t have to carry any books with you. It is perfectly possible to read long-form text on the iPhone, you just have to get over the psychological barrier. I read less and less on paper, because I always have my iPod Touch in my pocket, although my e-books are held offline, and it appears that CourseSmart needs a constant connection for access.

One commenter, Ed Freeman, makes a very good point, and one which Amazon should take note of. “Kindle is nice,” he says, “but it makes a ton of sense to put books on a platform (iPhone) already in the hands of millions of people. When iTablet is released, this will be even sweeter. Then just out the only thing Kindle has going for it is battery life.”

Product page [iTunes]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 4:13 am

Rubber-Band Gun Powered by Electric Drill

This drill-powered rubber-band gun can spit hundreds of stretchy, stinging projectiles in a few seconds. The rather weak rubber-bands it is loaded with have trouble taking out a pile of frail and featherlight paper cups — a single, decent sized band fired from the fingers would probably do better.

But that’s not the point here. First, marvel at the ingeniously simple firing mechanism. The electric drill simply rotates a cylinder around which is coiled a cord. As this cord unfurls, it gently pops the bands off their pins, one by one. Simple, neat and foolproof. The design and execution are by a Mr. Nakamura of the Japan Rubber Band Shooting Association. Yes, such an organization exists.

And those individual pins bring us to the other point. This thing holds 200 shots, which means stretching 200 rubber bands over the nails. This makes my latest DIY endeavor — building the Death Star from matchsticks — look like an afternoon project. Even after my neighbor, Luke, snuck in one night and smashed up the first version. The idiot.

Rubber band machine gun [Japan Probe via the Giz]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:41 am

Topeak PropShock Pump Will Get You Home

This is an oldie, but most certainly a goody, and if you have never heard of the Topeak PropShock, you’re going to like it. The pump is designed to re-pressurize the shock-absorbers in your bike, and can deliver pressure of up to 300 psi.

So far, so normal. But there is a secret function, too. See the eyelets on either end? If your rear shock fails, those holes let you swap in the PropShock and limp home. The pump won a Eurobike award a few years back, but as the folks at Bike Radar just recently tested it out, we thought it was worth digging up. $55.

Product page [Topeak via Bike Radar]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 11 Aug 2009 | 3:08 am