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Monday, March 31, 2008
Google Finally Launches Offline Access for Docs
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Question of the Day: Do You Use a Bluetooth Headset? [Question Of The Day]
With numerous states looking to regulate talking on your cellphone while driving, using a Bluetooth headset is one of your best alternatives. However, there are still plenty of tools out there who...
Today on Planet Green
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:: Hold the phone! Instead of ordering takeout, try making your own Vietnamese pho.:: How do you bargain at a flea market?:: Find out how you can reuse your disposable Brita filter at very little cost.:: Become a wildlife watcher during National Wildlife Week.:: Should you be eating in your car? Lloyd ruminat...
:: Hold the phone! Instead of ordering takeout, try making your own Vietnamese pho.:: How do you bargain at a flea market?:: Find out how you can reuse your disposable Brita filter at very little cost.:: Become a wildlife watcher during National Wildlife Week.:: Should you be eating in your car? Lloyd ruminat...
Leatherman Skeletool CX
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A stainless steel, super-lightweight multi-toolA hardwearing Tungsten DLC coatingA combination straight/serrated bladePliersNeedlenose pliersWire cuttersHard-wire cuttersA universal bit driver so you can pop on whatever bit is requiredStorage for a bit in the handle A Phillips 3/6″ screwdriver bitA Phillips ¼” screwdriver bitA bottle openerA removable pocket clipSuitable for ages 16 years+Weight: 142gSize: 10cmLike Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Leatherman, get busy in the garden now! (for hunters too)Latest Gadget GalleryLow Rise Cot, get off the ground and off to sleepSomehow, multi functional tools seem to attract guys like moth to a flame. There is some innate need in us neanderthals to fix stuff around us, which explains why it is always a good idea to open up a hardware shop no matter which part of the globe you’re at. The Leatherman Skeletool CX is a £79.95 tool that claims to offer everything you need in a convenient and small package. To get a better idea of what are some of the tools on offer, head on after the jump for further details.
When it comes to multitools, Leatherman are the true professionals with unequalled build quality and resilience. Often however, multitools can go over the top with functionality and have far more stuff in them than you’ll ever use. This where Leatherman’s latest piece of genius knocks all other multitools into the bin. The Skeletool, aside from looking achingly cool (very important of course) is, we reckon, the best multitool ever made.
Weighing in at an amazing 142g, they have stripped out all the unnecessary bulk and ensured that most of the super useful tools are instantly available, without you having to unfold and pull out endless hinged bits with your fingernails. The bottle opener is always out (yeah hey), the screwdriver (cleverly a universal multi-bit one) is pre-extended when you open the tool, and the knife blade is quick release - they really have designed a truly practical beauty here. More substantial than a pocket knife and less bulky than a traditional multitool, the Skeletool has the following functions - a combination straight and serrated blade, pliers, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, a universal bit driver, a 3/6″ and ¼” Phillips screwdriver bit, a bottle opener and a removable belt clip. And all of this comes in stainless steel with a hardwearing Tungsten DLC coating and has a very comfortable ergonomic hand fit.
With its truly excellent design, exceptional quality and the perfect level of functionality, the Skeletool has raised the bar on multitools to a whole new level. Some of its features are as follows :-
A stainless steel, super-lightweight multi-toolA hardwearing Tungsten DLC coatingA combination straight/serrated bladePliersNeedlenose pliersWire cuttersHard-wire cuttersA universal bit driver so you can pop on whatever bit is requiredStorage for a bit in the handle A Phillips 3/6″ screwdriver bitA Phillips ¼” screwdriver bitA bottle openerA removable pocket clipSuitable for ages 16 years+Weight: 142gSize: 10cmPressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Leatherman, get busy in the garden now! (for hunters too)Latest Gadget GalleryLow Rise Cot, get off the ground and off to sleep
A stainless steel, super-lightweight multi-toolA hardwearing Tungsten DLC coatingA combination straight/serrated bladePliersNeedlenose pliersWire cuttersHard-wire cuttersA universal bit driver so you can pop on whatever bit is requiredStorage for a bit in the handle A Phillips 3/6″ screwdriver bitA Phillips ¼” screwdriver bitA bottle openerA removable pocket clipSuitable for ages 16 years+Weight: 142gSize: 10cmLike Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Leatherman, get busy in the garden now! (for hunters too)Latest Gadget GalleryLow Rise Cot, get off the ground and off to sleepSomehow, multi functional tools seem to attract guys like moth to a flame. There is some innate need in us neanderthals to fix stuff around us, which explains why it is always a good idea to open up a hardware shop no matter which part of the globe you’re at. The Leatherman Skeletool CX is a £79.95 tool that claims to offer everything you need in a convenient and small package. To get a better idea of what are some of the tools on offer, head on after the jump for further details.
When it comes to multitools, Leatherman are the true professionals with unequalled build quality and resilience. Often however, multitools can go over the top with functionality and have far more stuff in them than you’ll ever use. This where Leatherman’s latest piece of genius knocks all other multitools into the bin. The Skeletool, aside from looking achingly cool (very important of course) is, we reckon, the best multitool ever made.
Weighing in at an amazing 142g, they have stripped out all the unnecessary bulk and ensured that most of the super useful tools are instantly available, without you having to unfold and pull out endless hinged bits with your fingernails. The bottle opener is always out (yeah hey), the screwdriver (cleverly a universal multi-bit one) is pre-extended when you open the tool, and the knife blade is quick release - they really have designed a truly practical beauty here. More substantial than a pocket knife and less bulky than a traditional multitool, the Skeletool has the following functions - a combination straight and serrated blade, pliers, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, a universal bit driver, a 3/6″ and ¼” Phillips screwdriver bit, a bottle opener and a removable belt clip. And all of this comes in stainless steel with a hardwearing Tungsten DLC coating and has a very comfortable ergonomic hand fit.
With its truly excellent design, exceptional quality and the perfect level of functionality, the Skeletool has raised the bar on multitools to a whole new level. Some of its features are as follows :-
A stainless steel, super-lightweight multi-toolA hardwearing Tungsten DLC coatingA combination straight/serrated bladePliersNeedlenose pliersWire cuttersHard-wire cuttersA universal bit driver so you can pop on whatever bit is requiredStorage for a bit in the handle A Phillips 3/6″ screwdriver bitA Phillips ¼” screwdriver bitA bottle openerA removable pocket clipSuitable for ages 16 years+Weight: 142gSize: 10cmPressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Leatherman, get busy in the garden now! (for hunters too)Latest Gadget GalleryLow Rise Cot, get off the ground and off to sleep
Happy Palm Centro Day [Smartphones]
I've just decided to mark today Palm Centro Day for three reasons:• Fulfilling Brian Lam's prediction, Palm just announced that it only took six months to sell 1 million of the suckers, in 10...
Perception, creativity and paint color
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Airo Massaging Backpack Soothes Sore Muscles, Doubles as a Turtle Costume [Relaxation]
Last year we came across the Rotoflexion massaging backpack, but alas it was only a concept device. However, someone out there was enterprising enough to turn the idea into reality with the...
Safari 3.1 “sets the bar highâ€
After testing the latest versions of ten Mac OS X web browsers, Macworld’s Joe Kissell concludes that “Apple’s Safari emerged as a clear favorite, with its excellent standards support, its friendly user interface, and all the capabilities most people will need.†As a result of its performance in the tests performed, Safari earned a 4.5 (out of five) mouse rating.
BlackBerry Curve 8330 launching on Verizon in May
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After seeing it kicked around the Net for a few months, it's good to see the BlackBerry Curve 8330 finally go live on Verizon Wireless. Well, almost -- you'll have to wait until May to lay thumb to QWERTY while riding that cool EV-DO wave of data. It'll cost you $270 after a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year contract with further discounts available when signing up for eligible voice and data plans. Your cash will be rewarded with the wee 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6-inches / 4-ounces curve sporting a 320 x 240 pixel display, 2-megapixel camera, media player, stereo Bluetooth audio, microSD / SDHC expansion, and 260 minutes talk / 11 days standby. Unfortunately, it's missing WiFi like the early prototype and GPS like the rumored Sprint version coming in April.
Update: Sorry, scratch that. It does have GPS which Verizon touts as VZ Navigator.
After seeing it kicked around the Net for a few months, it's good to see the BlackBerry Curve 8330 finally go live on Verizon Wireless. Well, almost -- you'll have to wait until May to lay thumb to QWERTY while riding that cool EV-DO wave of data. It'll cost you $270 after a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year contract with further discounts available when signing up for eligible voice and data plans. Your cash will be rewarded with the wee 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6-inches / 4-ounces curve sporting a 320 x 240 pixel display, 2-megapixel camera, media player, stereo Bluetooth audio, microSD / SDHC expansion, and 260 minutes talk / 11 days standby. Unfortunately, it's missing WiFi like the early prototype and GPS like the rumored Sprint version coming in April.
Update: Sorry, scratch that. It does have GPS which Verizon touts as VZ Navigator.
Al Jaffee’s Mad Fold-Ins In Interactive Form
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By Andrew Liszewski I can remember reading my dad's stacks of Mad magazine as akid. But except for the occasional 80's sitcom parody, most of the humor wentwell over my head. However, even if I didn't understand the joke or scathingpolitical satire, I still thoroughly enjoyed the fold-ins appearing on theinside of
By Andrew Liszewski
I can remember reading my dad’s stacks of Mad magazine as a kid. But except for the occasional 80’s sitcom parody, most of the humor went well over my head. However, even if I didn’t understand the joke or scathing political satire, I still thoroughly enjoyed the fold-ins appearing on the inside of the back cover.
The New York Times website, of all places, now has an interactive gallery of cartoonist Al Jaffee’s Mad fold-ins, from the 1960’s to the present. They cover everything from US Presidents, to war, to pop culture and now that I’m technically a grown-up, it’s nice to actually ‘get’ the satire. But more importantly the gallery is also interactive, allowing you to actually fold and unfold the fold-ins, without ever making an unsightly crease on the page.
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Humor
By Andrew Liszewski I can remember reading my dad's stacks of Mad magazine as akid. But except for the occasional 80's sitcom parody, most of the humor wentwell over my head. However, even if I didn't understand the joke or scathingpolitical satire, I still thoroughly enjoyed the fold-ins appearing on theinside of
By Andrew Liszewski
I can remember reading my dad’s stacks of Mad magazine as a kid. But except for the occasional 80’s sitcom parody, most of the humor went well over my head. However, even if I didn’t understand the joke or scathing political satire, I still thoroughly enjoyed the fold-ins appearing on the inside of the back cover.
The New York Times website, of all places, now has an interactive gallery of cartoonist Al Jaffee’s Mad fold-ins, from the 1960’s to the present. They cover everything from US Presidents, to war, to pop culture and now that I’m technically a grown-up, it’s nice to actually ‘get’ the satire. But more importantly the gallery is also interactive, allowing you to actually fold and unfold the fold-ins, without ever making an unsightly crease on the page.
VIA
Humor
Metrolla Strolla: Baby Stroller Gets Some Height Added [Stroller]
The stroller has undergone a radical redesign with this concept by designers Dan Levin and Evan Garrett, which places the baby passenger at almost normal eye-height. The design has sprung legs for...
DX1 Input System is the ultimate customizable keyboard
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Source: UberReview
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Dasur text input systemMaltron Keyboard - Ultimate in Ergonomics?Keyboard PC has a new take on the all-in-one conceptVirtual Laser PianoPC Keyboard Finally Opens Up
I’m the kind of guy that loves customizing his computer. No boring beige box and single monitor for me. I’ve got a nice window in the side of the case to show off my awesome hardware and liquid cooling system. The two wall-mounted LCDs help me stand out a bit too. However, one thing I haven’t really thought about is customizing my keyboard. Sure, I can program a few function keys to my liking, but nothing like this DX1 keyboard.
The DX1 is about as customizable as you can get. While it has only 25 keys, it’s not really meant for typing, but rather as a tool to aid you in whatever line of work (or play) you’re doing. Each key can be placed anywhere on the board, and moved on a whim. You’re welcome to assign shortcuts and macros to each key, however, you don’t need to worry about how it interacts with multiple programs as it will remember your preferences for each. This customizable keyboard will set you back more than most, at $139 it is a bit salty, but would be well worth it to some.
Source: UberReview
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Dasur text input systemMaltron Keyboard - Ultimate in Ergonomics?Keyboard PC has a new take on the all-in-one conceptVirtual Laser PianoPC Keyboard Finally Opens Up
Source: UberReview
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Dasur text input systemMaltron Keyboard - Ultimate in Ergonomics?Keyboard PC has a new take on the all-in-one conceptVirtual Laser PianoPC Keyboard Finally Opens Up
I’m the kind of guy that loves customizing his computer. No boring beige box and single monitor for me. I’ve got a nice window in the side of the case to show off my awesome hardware and liquid cooling system. The two wall-mounted LCDs help me stand out a bit too. However, one thing I haven’t really thought about is customizing my keyboard. Sure, I can program a few function keys to my liking, but nothing like this DX1 keyboard.
The DX1 is about as customizable as you can get. While it has only 25 keys, it’s not really meant for typing, but rather as a tool to aid you in whatever line of work (or play) you’re doing. Each key can be placed anywhere on the board, and moved on a whim. You’re welcome to assign shortcuts and macros to each key, however, you don’t need to worry about how it interacts with multiple programs as it will remember your preferences for each. This customizable keyboard will set you back more than most, at $139 it is a bit salty, but would be well worth it to some.
Source: UberReview
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Dasur text input systemMaltron Keyboard - Ultimate in Ergonomics?Keyboard PC has a new take on the all-in-one conceptVirtual Laser PianoPC Keyboard Finally Opens Up
Simon Glammerstein Sports Another $3,000 Suit
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Box boss Simon Hammerstein helped kick off a wave of restaurateur ogling back when he and David Chang were photographed for Esquire’s “Angry Young Men” spread last September, and this weekend the Times went back to the well by dressing Hammerstein up in a $2,950 Duncan Quinn suit (they let him keep his ratty sneakers for feet cred). It looks like this trend will never end, so we’re just going to try to suck it up. As long as we don’t see Michael Psilakis walking the runway next Fashion Week.
Box boss Simon Hammerstein helped kick off a wave of restaurateur ogling back when he and David Chang were photographed for Esquire’s “Angry Young Men” spread last September, and this weekend the Times went back to the well by dressing Hammerstein up in a $2,950 Duncan Quinn suit (they let him keep his ratty sneakers for feet cred). It looks like this trend will never end, so we’re just going to try to suck it up. As long as we don’t see Michael Psilakis walking the runway next Fashion Week.
[Screens Around Town] TripIt, Theocacao, Gmail, and a look at "Availability" UI
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Attached is a screen capture (plus photoshop blurring) of an email I received from TripIt.com. I was impressed with their email’s removing the need for me to create an account to use their service: it was already created for me! That’s a great way to reduce trepidation by simply staying ahead of the creating an account takes time excuse. Users can easily evangelize their friends because the cost of entry is so small.
Attached is a screen capture (plus photoshop blurring) of an email I received from TripIt.com. I was impressed with their email’s removing the need for me to create an account to use their service: it was already created for me! That’s a great way to reduce trepidation by simply staying ahead of the creating an account takes time excuse. Users can easily evangelize their friends because the cost of entry is so small.
On the Stands: Good Magazine on Meat
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Vegan alert: it is the Food issue of Good Magazine, and the lead article is about happy meat. "It's not enough anymore to glance at the “antibiotic-free†sticker and dig in. People want to know that their dinner roamed free in a shady pasture, slept on a pillowy bed of hay, lived a happy life, and died a noble death. And then they want to eat." Also What We Eat- "a glossy look at what we eatâ€"from the battlefield to the high school cafeteria." More on meat:
Vegan alert: it is the Food issue of Good Magazine, and the lead article is about happy meat. "It's not enough anymore to glance at the “antibiotic-free†sticker and dig in. People want to know that their dinner roamed free in a shady pasture, slept on a pillowy bed of hay, lived a happy life, and died a noble death. And then they want to eat." Also What We Eat- "a glossy look at what we eatâ€"from the battlefield to the high school cafeteria." More on meat:
Self Inflating Tires Do Just That [Auto]
If Coda's claims are true, their Self Inflating Tires in development now seem like an inevitable future for car owners. The simple mechanism works with classic principles of a peristaltic pump: a...
Ballenford Books 1979-2008
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Specialty bookstores are a labour of love, a dying breed, a money pit, a host of clichés. I know; a group of Toronto`s best architects, engineers, landscape architects and me bought Ballenford Books out of bankruptcy during the real estate crash in the early '90s. Andrea Kristof and I designed this store (updated since, shown here for the launch of Concrete Toronto) ; I have always thought those steel stud shelves were the best thing I ever did. But we couldn't make it work either. Susan Delean thought she could, and took it over in 1996. It became a bright, cheerful, w...
Specialty bookstores are a labour of love, a dying breed, a money pit, a host of clichés. I know; a group of Toronto`s best architects, engineers, landscape architects and me bought Ballenford Books out of bankruptcy during the real estate crash in the early '90s. Andrea Kristof and I designed this store (updated since, shown here for the launch of Concrete Toronto) ; I have always thought those steel stud shelves were the best thing I ever did. But we couldn't make it work either. Susan Delean thought she could, and took it over in 1996. It became a bright, cheerful, w...
Platt at Eighty One; Ago to Open
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New York's food world goes high-end this week, but with mixed results. Eighty One and Commerce are sampled by Adam Platt and Gael Greene, respectively, but neither is knocked out by their highly wrought creations. Rob and Robin report that Robert De Niro's Ago will open this week, aimed at the same power players who frequent the Hollywood, Vegas, and South Beach versions of the celebrity hangout. Even mighty Starbucks has found itself behind the curve and needs advice, which the Robs solicited from The Atlantic's Corby Cummer, Danny Meyer, and Jonathan Rubinstein from Joe: The Art of Coffee. If you cook at home, Chef Anita Lo of Annisa shares her fruit-soup recipe featuring the ugly but delicious crosnes.
New York's food world goes high-end this week, but with mixed results. Eighty One and Commerce are sampled by Adam Platt and Gael Greene, respectively, but neither is knocked out by their highly wrought creations. Rob and Robin report that Robert De Niro's Ago will open this week, aimed at the same power players who frequent the Hollywood, Vegas, and South Beach versions of the celebrity hangout. Even mighty Starbucks has found itself behind the curve and needs advice, which the Robs solicited from The Atlantic's Corby Cummer, Danny Meyer, and Jonathan Rubinstein from Joe: The Art of Coffee. If you cook at home, Chef Anita Lo of Annisa shares her fruit-soup recipe featuring the ugly but delicious crosnes.
Pop Quiz: Shower Power
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Latest jobs on the Job Board
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Programming Jobs Design Jobs Lots more jobs
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A Voce to Replace Café Gray at the Time Warner Center
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As predicted here last month, Café Gray is indeed on the way out at the Time Warner Center, Beth Landman reports in this week's magazine. (Kunz's people insist they're staying.) But Landman outs the “prominent Italian restaurant” moving in — an uptown version of A Voce. A Voce is exactly the kind of approachable but prestigious operation that the Time Warner Center will be looking for, and presumably chef Andrew Carmellini and his partners wouldn't sign unless their deal was better than Kunz's. Will A Voce work where Café Gray inexplicably didn't? We'll soon see.
As predicted here last month, Café Gray is indeed on the way out at the Time Warner Center, Beth Landman reports in this week's magazine. (Kunz's people insist they're staying.) But Landman outs the “prominent Italian restaurant” moving in — an uptown version of A Voce. A Voce is exactly the kind of approachable but prestigious operation that the Time Warner Center will be looking for, and presumably chef Andrew Carmellini and his partners wouldn't sign unless their deal was better than Kunz's. Will A Voce work where Café Gray inexplicably didn't? We'll soon see.
Reclaimed-Wood Furniture by Carlos Motta
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A former surfer, Brazilian designer Carlos Motta began creating furniture with pieces of wood the ocean brought to the shore at Southern Sao Paulo in the 70s. After receiving an Architecture degree in 1976, he moved to California, where he continued his studies on woodwork. Back in Sao Paulo in 1978, he opened his atelier. From the beginning, states the designer, the goal was to make furniture "with the lesser environmental impact," so he decided to work with recycled wood, demolition residues, pieces coming from shores and rivers and FSC certified wood. He now has eleven collections of furniture that include benches, chairs, chaise longue, tables, easyc...
A former surfer, Brazilian designer Carlos Motta began creating furniture with pieces of wood the ocean brought to the shore at Southern Sao Paulo in the 70s. After receiving an Architecture degree in 1976, he moved to California, where he continued his studies on woodwork. Back in Sao Paulo in 1978, he opened his atelier. From the beginning, states the designer, the goal was to make furniture "with the lesser environmental impact," so he decided to work with recycled wood, demolition residues, pieces coming from shores and rivers and FSC certified wood. He now has eleven collections of furniture that include benches, chairs, chaise longue, tables, easyc...
40-Gigabit Granny Used World's Fastest Connection to Dry Laundry [Internet]
The most famous story to come out of Sweden in 2007—besides the death of celebrated cinema pioneer Ingmar Bergman, who I thought was already dead—was the 40-gigabit internet connection of...
Beamz USB Laser Music System Has Cowbell
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By Evan Ackerman Just over a month ago, we wrote about a homebuilt laser harpthat you play by selectively blocking out laser beams to generate tones. Itlooked pretty complicated to construct, but now you can buy your own in a slicksilvery finish that's powered by USB. The device includes 30 songs in 19
By Evan Ackerman
Just over a month ago, we wrote about a homebuilt laser harp that you play by selectively blocking out laser beams to generate tones. It looked pretty complicated to construct, but now you can buy your own in a slick silvery finish that’s powered by USB. The device includes 30 songs in 19 musical genres to provide background tracks, and breaking the laser beams generates “pre-authored pulses, streams, riffs or loops of musical notes or sounds from an incredible variety of instruments from around the world â€" guitars, steel guitar, strings of all types, percussion, keyboards, winds, even cowbell.” Thankfully, the Beamz Music Performance System has some brains inside that do their best to prevent you from causing blood to pour out the ears of your audience:
The notes are timed to the beat of the rhythm accompaniment and that as you trigger each one, an appropriate musical sequence of notes is played depending upon the rhythm accompaniment’s current key. In short, you’re performing much like a music conductor: you’re calling upon each instrument and controlling the shape of the music, but the beamz software is taking care of making sure everything fits together seamlessly.
I just have two questions: does it have bagpipes, and can I get more cowbell with that? The Beamz Music Performance System will be available from Sharper Image for about $600 (!).
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Music
By Evan Ackerman Just over a month ago, we wrote about a homebuilt laser harpthat you play by selectively blocking out laser beams to generate tones. Itlooked pretty complicated to construct, but now you can buy your own in a slicksilvery finish that's powered by USB. The device includes 30 songs in 19
By Evan Ackerman
Just over a month ago, we wrote about a homebuilt laser harp that you play by selectively blocking out laser beams to generate tones. It looked pretty complicated to construct, but now you can buy your own in a slick silvery finish that’s powered by USB. The device includes 30 songs in 19 musical genres to provide background tracks, and breaking the laser beams generates “pre-authored pulses, streams, riffs or loops of musical notes or sounds from an incredible variety of instruments from around the world â€" guitars, steel guitar, strings of all types, percussion, keyboards, winds, even cowbell.” Thankfully, the Beamz Music Performance System has some brains inside that do their best to prevent you from causing blood to pour out the ears of your audience:
The notes are timed to the beat of the rhythm accompaniment and that as you trigger each one, an appropriate musical sequence of notes is played depending upon the rhythm accompaniment’s current key. In short, you’re performing much like a music conductor: you’re calling upon each instrument and controlling the shape of the music, but the beamz software is taking care of making sure everything fits together seamlessly.
I just have two questions: does it have bagpipes, and can I get more cowbell with that? The Beamz Music Performance System will be available from Sharper Image for about $600 (!).
VIA
Music
Bangai-O Spirits For The Nintendo DS Allows You To Share Your Custom Levels As Sound Files
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By Andrew Liszewski If you're old enough to remember the cassette drive for theCommodore 64, you might find this interesting. Bangai-O Spirits for theNintendo DS is a mix between a Nanostray-like shooter, and a 2D platformer. Thegame includes a robust level editor that not only allows you to modify theincluded levels, but By Andrew Liszewski
If you’re old enough to remember the cassette drive for the Commodore 64, you might find this interesting. Bangai-O Spirits for the Nintendo DS is a mix between a Nanostray-like shooter, and a 2D platformer. The game includes a robust level editor that not only allows you to modify the included levels, but also make your own from scratch.
But what’s the fun of making your own levels if you can’t share them with other players? D3, who developed the game, obviously agrees. But instead of using the Nintendo DS’s wifi connection to share level data, the game actually saves them as sound files. So to share a level with a friend you simply need to hold the DS’s mic to the speakers on the other DS and play back the file. But what if none of your local friends have the game? Well that’s where this gets even more interesting, since players have been posting YouTube videos of their save game sound files. So to download the level to your own DS, you simply need to hold the mic near your computer’s speakers. I’ve included a video sample of someone downloading a level to their DS, and it pretty much sounds like what you’d expect.
Unfortunately the game is only available in Japan, and as far as I know there are no plans to bring it to North America. However you can import it from online stores like Play-Asia for about $50.
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Gaming, Unusual
By Andrew Liszewski If you're old enough to remember the cassette drive for theCommodore 64, you might find this interesting. Bangai-O Spirits for theNintendo DS is a mix between a Nanostray-like shooter, and a 2D platformer. Thegame includes a robust level editor that not only allows you to modify theincluded levels, but By Andrew Liszewski
If you’re old enough to remember the cassette drive for the Commodore 64, you might find this interesting. Bangai-O Spirits for the Nintendo DS is a mix between a Nanostray-like shooter, and a 2D platformer. The game includes a robust level editor that not only allows you to modify the included levels, but also make your own from scratch.
But what’s the fun of making your own levels if you can’t share them with other players? D3, who developed the game, obviously agrees. But instead of using the Nintendo DS’s wifi connection to share level data, the game actually saves them as sound files. So to share a level with a friend you simply need to hold the DS’s mic to the speakers on the other DS and play back the file. But what if none of your local friends have the game? Well that’s where this gets even more interesting, since players have been posting YouTube videos of their save game sound files. So to download the level to your own DS, you simply need to hold the mic near your computer’s speakers. I’ve included a video sample of someone downloading a level to their DS, and it pretty much sounds like what you’d expect.
Unfortunately the game is only available in Japan, and as far as I know there are no plans to bring it to North America. However you can import it from online stores like Play-Asia for about $50.
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Gaming, Unusual
C-Jump Programming Board Game Is Slightly Better Than Socks
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By Evan Ackerman Okay, I know some of you probably think that this is thecoolest thing ever and you wish your parents had given you a board game thatteaches basic programming concepts when you were 11 years old. If they had,you'd probably be pulling down six figs by now. C-Jump uses a ski
By Evan Ackerman
Okay, I know some of you probably think that this is the coolest thing ever and you wish your parents had given you a board game that teaches basic programming concepts when you were 11 years old. If they had, you’d probably be pulling down six figs by now. C-Jump uses a ski race theme to introduce kids to loops, conditional statements, variables, and syntax used in C, C++, and Java. But come on, when you were 11, what did you really want? That’s right, a Nintendo 64.
C-Jump is $24.95 with free shipping in the US; scary pic of the game board after the jump.
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Games
By Evan Ackerman Okay, I know some of you probably think that this is thecoolest thing ever and you wish your parents had given you a board game thatteaches basic programming concepts when you were 11 years old. If they had,you'd probably be pulling down six figs by now. C-Jump uses a ski
By Evan Ackerman
Okay, I know some of you probably think that this is the coolest thing ever and you wish your parents had given you a board game that teaches basic programming concepts when you were 11 years old. If they had, you’d probably be pulling down six figs by now. C-Jump uses a ski race theme to introduce kids to loops, conditional statements, variables, and syntax used in C, C++, and Java. But come on, when you were 11, what did you really want? That’s right, a Nintendo 64.
C-Jump is $24.95 with free shipping in the US; scary pic of the game board after the jump.
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Games
Air Jordan Retro 1 (I) High and Low Preview
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/air-jordan-retro-1-high-low-preview-1.jpg
Early March we confirmed that some Air Jordan Retro 1 Highs would release in Winter of 2008, and now have a follow up with some catalog images. As you can see, Jordan Brand has added a strap to the Air Jordan Retro 1 High.Already, a lot of people are angered by the newly acquired
Early March we confirmed that some Air Jordan Retro 1 Highs would release in Winter of 2008, and now have a follow up with some catalog images. As you can see, Jordan Brand has added a strap to the Air Jordan Retro 1 High.
Already, a lot of people are angered by the newly acquired strap, giving them a Nike Vandal look, rather than the Jordan I (or Dunks).
On the good side, a Air Jordan Retro 1 Low in Black, Red will release, looking identical to the Original (but low). Another pair which is predominately Red will release to the top 325 stores. More images after the jump, via TheRetroKid.
Early March we confirmed that some Air Jordan Retro 1 Highs would release in Winter of 2008, and now have a follow up with some catalog images. As you can see, Jordan Brand has added a strap to the Air Jordan Retro 1 High.Already, a lot of people are angered by the newly acquired
Early March we confirmed that some Air Jordan Retro 1 Highs would release in Winter of 2008, and now have a follow up with some catalog images. As you can see, Jordan Brand has added a strap to the Air Jordan Retro 1 High.
Already, a lot of people are angered by the newly acquired strap, giving them a Nike Vandal look, rather than the Jordan I (or Dunks).
On the good side, a Air Jordan Retro 1 Low in Black, Red will release, looking identical to the Original (but low). Another pair which is predominately Red will release to the top 325 stores. More images after the jump, via TheRetroKid.
Just a Little Bit of Software History Repeating
I lived in the Denver area at the time Denver International Airport's completely computer automated baggage system was unveiled in 1994. The troubled development of this system was big local news.The premise of Denver's plan was as big as the West. The distance from a centralized baggage check-in to the farthest gate - about a mile - dictated expansive new thinking, planners said, and technology would make the new airport a marvel. Travelers who arrived for check-in or stepped off a plane would have their bags whisked across the airport with minimal human intervention. The result would be fewer flight delays, less waiting at luggage carousels and big savings in airline labor costs.Tours that preceded the system's debut led invariably to an airport basement where 26 miles of track, loaded with thousands of small gray carts, sped bags up and down inclines as conveyor belts minutely timed by the computer deposited each bag in its cart at just the right moment. The baggage system was an abject failure. It had huge problems on opening day, and almost immediately had to be superseded by manual procedures. Things never improved much from there. Denver's automated baggage handling system was scrapped completely by 2005, in favor of traditional manual handling and barcode scanning procedures."It wasn't the technology per se, it was a misplaced faith in it," said Richard de Neufville, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and engineering systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor de Neufville said the builders had imagined that their creation would work well even at the busiest boundaries of its capacity. That left no room for the errors and inefficiencies that are inevitable in a complex enterprise. "The main culprit was hubris," he said.I was surprised, then, to read essentially the same scenario play out 10 years later in England at Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5.Many things did not go according to plan at T5, but at the core of the fiasco is baggage. This is supposed to be a state-of-the-art system, the biggest in Europe with 10 miles of conveyor belts controlled by 140 computers and designed to process 12,000 bags per hour at up to 23 mph. But it had never been tested before in a live terminal. On T5's D-Day many aspects -- human and technological -- simply did not work.BA say they are confident that a few days bedding-down will sort out the problems. However, T5 is not yet at full capacity, with another 70 long-haul destinations due to move there on 30 April.I sincerely hope BA can escape from Gilligan's Island, unlike so many hardy travellers before them. Otherwise, all we'll end up with is another sad entry in the long, dismal history of software project failure. Data Dynamics Reports: An easy-to-use reporting platform for .NET developers. Master Reports, Data Visualizers, Dashboard controls and more!
HP's Elite 3 megapixel webcam says "hello" in stereo
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/hp-elite-webcam-3-megapixel.jpg
While it may look like an overhead projector without any hints to the scale, you're actually looking at HP's (relatively) tiny Elite Auto Focus Webcam. Compatible with all the major PC-based, video chat solutions out there (Yahoo, Skype, MS Messenger, AIM), the USB 2.0 cam clips onto your monitor and features a 3 megapixel CMOS camera capable of shooting video ranging from 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps quality on down to 1,600 x 1,200 at a stuttering 5fps. It also brings a built-in stereo microphone, face tracking and Magic-i video effects software, 3 programmable buttons, and a sliding "privacy cover" which lets your date know that the camera really is, off.
While it may look like an overhead projector without any hints to the scale, you're actually looking at HP's (relatively) tiny Elite Auto Focus Webcam. Compatible with all the major PC-based, video chat solutions out there (Yahoo, Skype, MS Messenger, AIM), the USB 2.0 cam clips onto your monitor and features a 3 megapixel CMOS camera capable of shooting video ranging from 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps quality on down to 1,600 x 1,200 at a stuttering 5fps. It also brings a built-in stereo microphone, face tracking and Magic-i video effects software, 3 programmable buttons, and a sliding "privacy cover" which lets your date know that the camera really is, off.
The TH Interview: Sigrid Ekran, Iditarod Competitor and Environmental Activist
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When I heard that one of the member’s of Will Steger’s team heading out across the Arctic to raise awareness of global warming was a woman who practices subsistence living I was bound and determined to interview her. I mean really, How many people do you know who practice a subsistence lifestyle by choice today? And so it was that I wound up interviewing a fascinating human being named Sigrid Ekran. She’s been the Iditarod’s rookie of the year, practices subsistence living enthusiastically in 2008, and is one of the nicest people you could ask to meet. Her observations on the both the physical effects of global warming and her experience landing for the first time in ...
When I heard that one of the member’s of Will Steger’s team heading out across the Arctic to raise awareness of global warming was a woman who practices subsistence living I was bound and determined to interview her. I mean really, How many people do you know who practice a subsistence lifestyle by choice today? And so it was that I wound up interviewing a fascinating human being named Sigrid Ekran. She’s been the Iditarod’s rookie of the year, practices subsistence living enthusiastically in 2008, and is one of the nicest people you could ask to meet. Her observations on the both the physical effects of global warming and her experience landing for the first time in ...
Picking a Platform: 5 Issues to Consider
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Audience Issues Issue 1: Reach of the Platform Issue 2: Growth of Audience Issue 3: Value of that Audience Issue 1: Reach of Platform Issue 2: Growth of Audience Technology Issues Issue 4: Capability to Support Desired User Experience Issue 5: Efficiency of Developing on Platform Issue 4: Capability to Support Desired User Experience Issue 5: Efficiency of Developing on Platform Conclusion
Audience Issues Issue 1: Reach of the Platform Issue 2: Growth of Audience Issue 3: Value of that Audience Issue 1: Reach of Platform Issue 2: Growth of Audience Technology Issues Issue 4: Capability to Support Desired User Experience Issue 5: Efficiency of Developing on Platform Issue 4: Capability to Support Desired User Experience Issue 5: Efficiency of Developing on Platform Conclusion
Researchers develop human prosthesis for balance, unfortunately it's not a tail
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There's hope for those of us suffering from chronic imbalance as a result of staring too long at periodic tables and 20-sided dice. It's an implant developed by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. The implant looks to off-set balance irregularities in the human vestibular system caused by trauma or disease affecting the gyroscopic function of the inner ear. A microprocessor converts signals received from a motion sensor worn on the head into electrical impulses. These are then sent to an electrode implanted into the inner ear. The first test will begin next week on a rhesus monkey. A move which evokes cries of "unfair" from us -- unlike nerds, monkeys already have excellent balance.
There's hope for those of us suffering from chronic imbalance as a result of staring too long at periodic tables and 20-sided dice. It's an implant developed by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. The implant looks to off-set balance irregularities in the human vestibular system caused by trauma or disease affecting the gyroscopic function of the inner ear. A microprocessor converts signals received from a motion sensor worn on the head into electrical impulses. These are then sent to an electrode implanted into the inner ear. The first test will begin next week on a rhesus monkey. A move which evokes cries of "unfair" from us -- unlike nerds, monkeys already have excellent balance.
Beamz Laser Harp
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/beamz_laser_harp.jpg
Guest Post by Matthew of Gadget Venue.
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Laser Harp built from scratchMonday Morning Gadget ThumbnailsCool Laser Based Warfare for the HomeMonday Mornings Gallery of GadgetsLaser Stars ProjectorThis laser harp is not your traditional musical instrument. Rather then you playing the Beamz laser harp you are simply telling it what to do.
The notes are timed to the beat of the rhythm accompaniment and that as you trigger each one, an appropriate musical sequence of notes is played depending upon the rhythm accompaniment’s current key. In short, you’re performing much like a music conductor: you’re calling upon each instrument and controlling the shape of the music, but the beamz software is taking care of making sure everything fits together seamlessly.
The Beamz laser harp connects to your PC via USB and contains 30 songs from a mixture of 19 different genres which are used to provide backing music to your laser creations. Music is pre authored in to loops, rifs, notes and streams and you simple move your hands about with the music to create something good. Hopefully with all that assistance it can make the most tone deaf and un musical type of person (me) more able to play something that sounds good.
The laser harp costs around $600 and is available from Sharper Image.
Source - OhGizmo and GeekAlerts
Guest Post by Matthew of Gadget Venue.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Laser Harp built from scratchMonday Morning Gadget ThumbnailsCool Laser Based Warfare for the HomeMonday Mornings Gallery of GadgetsLaser Stars Projector
Guest Post by Matthew of Gadget Venue.
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Laser Harp built from scratchMonday Morning Gadget ThumbnailsCool Laser Based Warfare for the HomeMonday Mornings Gallery of GadgetsLaser Stars ProjectorThis laser harp is not your traditional musical instrument. Rather then you playing the Beamz laser harp you are simply telling it what to do.
The notes are timed to the beat of the rhythm accompaniment and that as you trigger each one, an appropriate musical sequence of notes is played depending upon the rhythm accompaniment’s current key. In short, you’re performing much like a music conductor: you’re calling upon each instrument and controlling the shape of the music, but the beamz software is taking care of making sure everything fits together seamlessly.
The Beamz laser harp connects to your PC via USB and contains 30 songs from a mixture of 19 different genres which are used to provide backing music to your laser creations. Music is pre authored in to loops, rifs, notes and streams and you simple move your hands about with the music to create something good. Hopefully with all that assistance it can make the most tone deaf and un musical type of person (me) more able to play something that sounds good.
The laser harp costs around $600 and is available from Sharper Image.
Source - OhGizmo and GeekAlerts
Guest Post by Matthew of Gadget Venue.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Laser Harp built from scratchMonday Morning Gadget ThumbnailsCool Laser Based Warfare for the HomeMonday Mornings Gallery of GadgetsLaser Stars Projector
Mini Tritium Glowing Keychain Is Good For 10 Years
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By Andrew Liszewski Even if you've never heard of tritium before, odds areyou've already experienced it. The radioactive material is used in compasses,gun sights, watches and other items you might need to use at night. Whilesomething like LEDs actually throw off far more light, the real advantage totritium is that it doesn't
By Andrew Liszewski
Even if you’ve never heard of tritium before, odds are you’ve already experienced it. The radioactive material is used in compasses, gun sights, watches and other items you might need to use at night. While something like LEDs actually throw off far more light, the real advantage to tritium is that it doesn’t need a power source. In fact it will glow for years and years, even in complete darkness. The tiny piece used in this keychain will glow for about 10 years, and will ensure you’ll never lose your keys if you drop them in the woods in the middle of the night while the moon’s blocked out by clouds and you don’t happen to have a flashlight.
They’re available from DealExtreme for just $9.80 and come in either a white glow or green glow version. And while the material is radioactive, it’s safe to use in consumer products since the beta particles it emits are too weak to even penetrate human skin. (Though at one point we thought radium was safe to use too.)
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Science, Unusual
By Andrew Liszewski Even if you've never heard of tritium before, odds areyou've already experienced it. The radioactive material is used in compasses,gun sights, watches and other items you might need to use at night. Whilesomething like LEDs actually throw off far more light, the real advantage totritium is that it doesn't
By Andrew Liszewski
Even if you’ve never heard of tritium before, odds are you’ve already experienced it. The radioactive material is used in compasses, gun sights, watches and other items you might need to use at night. While something like LEDs actually throw off far more light, the real advantage to tritium is that it doesn’t need a power source. In fact it will glow for years and years, even in complete darkness. The tiny piece used in this keychain will glow for about 10 years, and will ensure you’ll never lose your keys if you drop them in the woods in the middle of the night while the moon’s blocked out by clouds and you don’t happen to have a flashlight.
They’re available from DealExtreme for just $9.80 and come in either a white glow or green glow version. And while the material is radioactive, it’s safe to use in consumer products since the beta particles it emits are too weak to even penetrate human skin. (Though at one point we thought radium was safe to use too.)
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Science, Unusual
Facebook to Crowdsource Chinese Translation - China Launch Imminent?
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Can Facebook Be Competitive in China?
Can Facebook Be Competitive in China?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Streamlined Speedo Swim Suit Is Too Slippery When Wet [Speedos]
Officials from the International Swimming Federation (aka FINA) want to speak with Speedo next week about their high tech swimsuit. Seems the athletes who use the swimsuit are breaking all sorts of...
PSP slim modded for dual analog sticks
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Been longing for a second analog stick on your PSP? Modder LordNico's got you covered with the Razor X (seriously, where do these guys come up with their names?), a user-installable analog stick that appears to mimic the functions of your standard four button pad. (In other words, getting the games to take advantage of the controls is another matter entirely.) Apparently details of the mod will be released soon enough for those brave enough to consider relocating their power switch to the start button -- yikes.
Been longing for a second analog stick on your PSP? Modder LordNico's got you covered with the Razor X (seriously, where do these guys come up with their names?), a user-installable analog stick that appears to mimic the functions of your standard four button pad. (In other words, getting the games to take advantage of the controls is another matter entirely.) Apparently details of the mod will be released soon enough for those brave enough to consider relocating their power switch to the start button -- yikes.
Optimize Google Desktop for Search
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The latest version of Google Desktop no longer enables by default the desktop search engine probably because it uses too many resources. I thought this is a good opportunity to list some ways you could improve Google Desktop's performance, especially if you want to use it as a search engine and not as a widget engine.
When you install Google Desktop 5.5 for Windows, the enhanced search option is disabled and you should leave it that way for now. If you don't need the sidebar with gadgets, disable the option from Google Desktop's setup wizard.
Google Desktop will only index the shortcuts from the Start Menu, the entries from Control Panel. To enable the indexing of your files, right click on the system tray icon, select "Options" and click on the check box next to "Enable Enhanced Content Indexing". Some other relevant options:
* Disable the search types you don't find useful. "Web history" indexes all the web pages that you load in Internet Explorer and Firefox, so it uses a lot of disk space. If you use Outlook or other email clients and you don't want to index the email messages from your computer, disable the "email" options. Google Desktop can also search Microsoft Outlook's Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Journal, and Notes, so disable these search types if you're satisfied with Outlook's search options.
* Exclude folders from indexing. Since Google Desktop tries to index files from your entire hard disk, it's important to exclude the folders that don't contain useful files for a desktop search engine. Some examples:
C:\Program Files\ (don't exclude it if you use Google Desktop to launch apps)
C:\Windows\ (don't exclude it if you use Google Desktop to launch apps)
C:\ProgramData\ (in Vista)
D:\ (if D: is used for backup)
* Exclude file extensions from indexing. There's no option for this in the interface, but you can edit this Registry key and add other extensions you want to exclude. The default excluded extensions are: tmp, temp, moztmp, log, pst, ost, oab, nk2, dat, 000, pf, xml, obj, pdb, tlb, pcc, pch, exp, res, map, sconsign, msf. You can also other extensions that aren't associated with useful content: bak, chk, old, gid, prv, wbk, dll.
The Registry value can be found at:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Desktop\file_extensions_to_skip
* Disable the Google integration. By default, Google performs a desktop search every time you search the web and it displays some results from your computer in an OneBox, above the web search results. If you want faster Google searches, less computer resources used to search your desktop and less embarrassing moments when someone else temporarily uses your computer, you can disable the integration.
* More screen space. To disable the taskbar and show the search box by pressing Ctrl twice, select "None" for the "Display Mode". You can also disable the gadgets button if you don't use the sidebar.
* Disable Safe Browsing. Google downloads and automatically updates a database of URLs that are used for phishing or for distributing malware and shows you a warning when you visit one of these web pages. If you use other security software or your browser has anti-phishing protection, you can disable this option.
* Save preferences. Google Desktop will only index files when your computer is idle. "Assuming you leave your computer on, Google Desktop should need only a few days to create your initial index. This initial indexing process occurs only when your computer is idle, so you may want to leave your computer on for an evening or two after you install Google Desktop," explains Google's help center.
If you already have Google Desktop, excluding folders and file extensions will not remove entries from the index, so the best way to clean your index is to delete it and rebuild it. Close Google Desktop by selecting "Exit" from the system tray menu and delete this folder:
%APPDATA%\Google\Google Desktop\ (Windows XP)
or
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Google Desktop\ (Windows Vista)
After reopening Google Desktop, choose "Re-index" from the system tray menu.
The latest version of Google Desktop no longer enables by default the desktop search engine probably because it uses too many resources. I thought this is a good opportunity to list some ways you could improve Google Desktop's performance, especially if you want to use it as a search engine and not as a widget engine.
When you install Google Desktop 5.5 for Windows, the enhanced search option is disabled and you should leave it that way for now. If you don't need the sidebar with gadgets, disable the option from Google Desktop's setup wizard.
Google Desktop will only index the shortcuts from the Start Menu, the entries from Control Panel. To enable the indexing of your files, right click on the system tray icon, select "Options" and click on the check box next to "Enable Enhanced Content Indexing". Some other relevant options:
* Disable the search types you don't find useful. "Web history" indexes all the web pages that you load in Internet Explorer and Firefox, so it uses a lot of disk space. If you use Outlook or other email clients and you don't want to index the email messages from your computer, disable the "email" options. Google Desktop can also search Microsoft Outlook's Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Journal, and Notes, so disable these search types if you're satisfied with Outlook's search options.
* Exclude folders from indexing. Since Google Desktop tries to index files from your entire hard disk, it's important to exclude the folders that don't contain useful files for a desktop search engine. Some examples:
C:\Program Files\ (don't exclude it if you use Google Desktop to launch apps)
C:\Windows\ (don't exclude it if you use Google Desktop to launch apps)
C:\ProgramData\ (in Vista)
D:\ (if D: is used for backup)
* Exclude file extensions from indexing. There's no option for this in the interface, but you can edit this Registry key and add other extensions you want to exclude. The default excluded extensions are: tmp, temp, moztmp, log, pst, ost, oab, nk2, dat, 000, pf, xml, obj, pdb, tlb, pcc, pch, exp, res, map, sconsign, msf. You can also other extensions that aren't associated with useful content: bak, chk, old, gid, prv, wbk, dll.
The Registry value can be found at:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Desktop\file_extensions_to_skip
* Disable the Google integration. By default, Google performs a desktop search every time you search the web and it displays some results from your computer in an OneBox, above the web search results. If you want faster Google searches, less computer resources used to search your desktop and less embarrassing moments when someone else temporarily uses your computer, you can disable the integration.
* More screen space. To disable the taskbar and show the search box by pressing Ctrl twice, select "None" for the "Display Mode". You can also disable the gadgets button if you don't use the sidebar.
* Disable Safe Browsing. Google downloads and automatically updates a database of URLs that are used for phishing or for distributing malware and shows you a warning when you visit one of these web pages. If you use other security software or your browser has anti-phishing protection, you can disable this option.
* Save preferences. Google Desktop will only index files when your computer is idle. "Assuming you leave your computer on, Google Desktop should need only a few days to create your initial index. This initial indexing process occurs only when your computer is idle, so you may want to leave your computer on for an evening or two after you install Google Desktop," explains Google's help center.
If you already have Google Desktop, excluding folders and file extensions will not remove entries from the index, so the best way to clean your index is to delete it and rebuild it. Close Google Desktop by selecting "Exit" from the system tray menu and delete this folder:
%APPDATA%\Google\Google Desktop\ (Windows XP)
or
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Google Desktop\ (Windows Vista)
After reopening Google Desktop, choose "Re-index" from the system tray menu.
Original content coming to Xbox 360
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We were kind of wondering when it was finally going to happen: Microsoft's inked a deal with a production company to do original content for the Xbox 360. The licensed back catalog of stuff is good and all, but this would fill that niche in between Xbox 360's digital downloads and long-promised IPTV. No word yet on when it's coming, just that we can expect the usual compliment of Hollywood pap.
We were kind of wondering when it was finally going to happen: Microsoft's inked a deal with a production company to do original content for the Xbox 360. The licensed back catalog of stuff is good and all, but this would fill that niche in between Xbox 360's digital downloads and long-promised IPTV. No word yet on when it's coming, just that we can expect the usual compliment of Hollywood pap.
Apple Looks For Handwriting Recognition Engineer
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Apple seeds updated iPhone 2.0 beta, not many changes
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/iphone-2-0-beta-2-01.jpg
Looks like Apple's been passing around a new working version of the iPhone 2.0 beta firmware -- not too many changes since the last release we saw, though. So far, from what we can tell the build is now officially 2.0 (before it was registered as 1.2), the Cisco VPN settings got some tweaks, and the root-level mail / ActiveSync settings have been reshuffled a bit. We'll let you know if anything else pops up.
Looks like Apple's been passing around a new working version of the iPhone 2.0 beta firmware -- not too many changes since the last release we saw, though. So far, from what we can tell the build is now officially 2.0 (before it was registered as 1.2), the Cisco VPN settings got some tweaks, and the root-level mail / ActiveSync settings have been reshuffled a bit. We'll let you know if anything else pops up.
Mobile Web Trends & Products, March '08 Update
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Social Networking - MySpace Leads Over FacebookMobile Web SpaceWhat's Next?Presentation
Social Networking - MySpace Leads Over FacebookMobile Web SpaceWhat's Next?Presentation
Primavera Silenciosa In The Produce Aisle: Translating A Carbon- To A Pesticide-Footprint
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Our readers will be familiar with the ongoing debate over "food mile" labeling - mainly a European concern, but coming to US produce aisles - which turns on a trade-off: providing jobs for poor farmworkers in developing nations versus shopping preferentially for locally grown, possibly organic, produce and meats. (The argument is framed as if food shopping is a form of humanitarian aid.) Simplistically favoring low food-mile products to reduce the carbon footprint of one's diet does not hold up to analysis, say the critics and pundits. Add this thought, and it might....
Our readers will be familiar with the ongoing debate over "food mile" labeling - mainly a European concern, but coming to US produce aisles - which turns on a trade-off: providing jobs for poor farmworkers in developing nations versus shopping preferentially for locally grown, possibly organic, produce and meats. (The argument is framed as if food shopping is a form of humanitarian aid.) Simplistically favoring low food-mile products to reduce the carbon footprint of one's diet does not hold up to analysis, say the critics and pundits. Add this thought, and it might....
Windows XP-powered Eee PC laptop: $400, April 9th
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Sounds like we've finally got a price and a date for the XP powered Eee PC: $400, and April 9th. The hardware's identical to current-gen Eee PCs, though, so if you're happy with your little white lappy and are itching for XP you might try to pick up a license on eBay. Still, if all goes well for ASUS, they'll be selling 4x what they did the first time around, innit?
P.S. -If you are, for whatever reason, itching to read more about current hardware running the 7 year old OS, Laptop's got a hands-on. Nothing that wasn't already out there though.
Sounds like we've finally got a price and a date for the XP powered Eee PC: $400, and April 9th. The hardware's identical to current-gen Eee PCs, though, so if you're happy with your little white lappy and are itching for XP you might try to pick up a license on eBay. Still, if all goes well for ASUS, they'll be selling 4x what they did the first time around, innit?
P.S. -If you are, for whatever reason, itching to read more about current hardware running the 7 year old OS, Laptop's got a hands-on. Nothing that wasn't already out there though.
Yet another Microsoft white space device fails FCC testing
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-8-08-ms-whitespace.jpg
Although several other companies have submitted white space devices to the FCC -- we know Philips has one in, and Google's making a lot of noise about new and improved reference designs -- it looks like Microsoft's run of bad luck with the tech continues, with yet another white space transceiver unexpectedly failing during FCC tests last week. There's no word on if the latest unit failed for the same power-related reasons as the previous test devices, but Microsoft's doing a little damage control and saying that the FCC hasn't found any interference with TV signals so far, and that it's easier to pull the plug now and let other, non-MS devices finish out testing. Yeah, we'd say so -- at this point Redmond's bungled attempts to get this stuff working are becoming sort of embarrassing. Google to the rescue?
Although several other companies have submitted white space devices to the FCC -- we know Philips has one in, and Google's making a lot of noise about new and improved reference designs -- it looks like Microsoft's run of bad luck with the tech continues, with yet another white space transceiver unexpectedly failing during FCC tests last week. There's no word on if the latest unit failed for the same power-related reasons as the previous test devices, but Microsoft's doing a little damage control and saying that the FCC hasn't found any interference with TV signals so far, and that it's easier to pull the plug now and let other, non-MS devices finish out testing. Yeah, we'd say so -- at this point Redmond's bungled attempts to get this stuff working are becoming sort of embarrassing. Google to the rescue?
Finnish Foreign Minister's Sexy Texts Could Cost Him his Job [Happy Finnish]
An SMS-savvy Finnish Foreign Minister has joined former New York governor Eliot Spitzer in the "thinks with the wrong head" club this week. The 60-year-old Ilkka Kanerva was discovered to have sent...
Eero Koivisto's Recycle-Ready Rainforest Tables
http://www.treehugger.com/Eero-Koivisto-Table.jpg
DesignBoost Finnish designer Eero Koivisto is the creator of these brightly playful end tables, made out a single material (laquered steel) that Koivisto says makes them not only built to last but also fully recyclable. Koivisto came up with the idea for the tables after his first Amazon rainforest fly-over, and the five obliquely positioned legs of the tables are meant to represent the every-which-way growth pattern of trees in a dense forest canopy.Those legs give the tables a vulnerable, almost coltish look, but they are actually sturdy and easily arranged in a cluster (they can slightly overl...
DesignBoost Finnish designer Eero Koivisto is the creator of these brightly playful end tables, made out a single material (laquered steel) that Koivisto says makes them not only built to last but also fully recyclable. Koivisto came up with the idea for the tables after his first Amazon rainforest fly-over, and the five obliquely positioned legs of the tables are meant to represent the every-which-way growth pattern of trees in a dense forest canopy.Those legs give the tables a vulnerable, almost coltish look, but they are actually sturdy and easily arranged in a cluster (they can slightly overl...
Get your hands on a limited edition Tricorder replica
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/tricorder-replica.jpg
Source: GeekAlerts
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Spider-Man 3 Pumpkin Bomb ReplicaPleasure your woman with some goldMicrosoft to replace damaged Halo 3 discs for freeBuy a Full Size Dinosaur ReplicaXbox 360 accessories coming to Europe late (as usual)
I’ve never been much of a Star Trek fan, Star Wars was always more to my liking. I’ll admit that when I was younger I would watch reruns of the the original series when there was nothing on during Saturday afternoons. If you’re a bit more passionate about the show than I, you’ll love this new Tricorder replica.
This Star trek Mark IX Science Tricorder Replica is the most authentic replica ever made. It is cast from the same pattern used to create the original props from the TV series and made from die-cast metal and plastic. You’ll need to be quick to jump on this one though, it’s limited to only 2,000 pieces. A deep wallet will help you too, as one will set you back $349.99.
Source: GeekAlerts
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Spider-Man 3 Pumpkin Bomb ReplicaPleasure your woman with some goldMicrosoft to replace damaged Halo 3 discs for freeBuy a Full Size Dinosaur ReplicaXbox 360 accessories coming to Europe late (as usual)
Source: GeekAlerts
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Spider-Man 3 Pumpkin Bomb ReplicaPleasure your woman with some goldMicrosoft to replace damaged Halo 3 discs for freeBuy a Full Size Dinosaur ReplicaXbox 360 accessories coming to Europe late (as usual)
I’ve never been much of a Star Trek fan, Star Wars was always more to my liking. I’ll admit that when I was younger I would watch reruns of the the original series when there was nothing on during Saturday afternoons. If you’re a bit more passionate about the show than I, you’ll love this new Tricorder replica.
This Star trek Mark IX Science Tricorder Replica is the most authentic replica ever made. It is cast from the same pattern used to create the original props from the TV series and made from die-cast metal and plastic. You’ll need to be quick to jump on this one though, it’s limited to only 2,000 pieces. A deep wallet will help you too, as one will set you back $349.99.
Source: GeekAlerts
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Spider-Man 3 Pumpkin Bomb ReplicaPleasure your woman with some goldMicrosoft to replace damaged Halo 3 discs for freeBuy a Full Size Dinosaur ReplicaXbox 360 accessories coming to Europe late (as usual)
Ant Farm on Exhibition in Seville
http://www.treehugger.com/cadillac-ranch.jpg
Ant farm was a group of artists and architects that, along with Archigram, was hugely influential among architecture students in the seventies, particularly if you were into mobile architecture, alternative technologies and dovetail joints. Many know about their Cadillac Ranch, which remains an iconic statement about the end of oil as it was in the last oil crisis; few, including Regine at Worldchanging know about their other work. However she does now, after seeing an exhibition of their work at the The Centro Andal...
Ant farm was a group of artists and architects that, along with Archigram, was hugely influential among architecture students in the seventies, particularly if you were into mobile architecture, alternative technologies and dovetail joints. Many know about their Cadillac Ranch, which remains an iconic statement about the end of oil as it was in the last oil crisis; few, including Regine at Worldchanging know about their other work. However she does now, after seeing an exhibition of their work at the The Centro Andal...
Chicago Police Considering a Switch to the Chevy Tahoe
http://www.treehugger.com/black-chevy-tahoe-image.jpg
Rising gas prices and carbon emissions are fueling a move towards more efficient vehicles, particularly for municipalities, agencies and other entities with large fleets. For instance, we've seen the Hampshire Police in the UK switch to the Lexus GS 450h hybrid sedan for policing duties, and hybri...
Rising gas prices and carbon emissions are fueling a move towards more efficient vehicles, particularly for municipalities, agencies and other entities with large fleets. For instance, we've seen the Hampshire Police in the UK switch to the Lexus GS 450h hybrid sedan for policing duties, and hybri...
Underwater Camera Rig Sends Photos Around the World in Seconds [Digital Cameras]
Alain Bernard of France broke a record last week when he swam the 100m freestyle in 47.60 seconds at the European Swimming Championships. At the same time, underwater photographer Wolfgang Rattay...
Brave Space Design Tetris Shelves are Best Yet [Home Furnishings]
The Tetris inspired home furnishings catalog continues to grow, and the latest addition may well be the best yet. The Tetris shelving unit from New York's Brave Space Design is the Tetris book shelf...
Urban Outfitters say it out loud
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/urbanheadphones.jpg
Product Page via Chip Chick
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Latest News on MP3 Players: iBible and ZunesCoolest Trashcan ever …Tannoy PSP Speaker SystemiHearSafe earbuds to prevent hearing lossSonic Boom Sweetheart Alarm Clock: torture yourself every morningUrban Outfitters have just unveiled a couple of headphones that are really too large for their own good, making an extremely pronounced stand where music playback is concerned. The Grande headphones will ship in a neon pink and green color or just plain black (which always stands against the test of time), accompanied by a coiled cord that makes carrying it around a whole lot less bulky. In addition, you can use the Grande headphones with your cell phone, allowing you to listen to your mom with greater clarity as she nags you on the umpteenth time to clear the room. As for the Stiloso headphones, they’re even more retro looking, so it really depends on your budget as to which headset to pick up. The Grande and Stiloso will retail for $70 and $52, respectively.
Product Page via Chip Chick
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Latest News on MP3 Players: iBible and ZunesCoolest Trashcan ever …Tannoy PSP Speaker SystemiHearSafe earbuds to prevent hearing lossSonic Boom Sweetheart Alarm Clock: torture yourself every morning
Product Page via Chip Chick
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Latest News on MP3 Players: iBible and ZunesCoolest Trashcan ever …Tannoy PSP Speaker SystemiHearSafe earbuds to prevent hearing lossSonic Boom Sweetheart Alarm Clock: torture yourself every morningUrban Outfitters have just unveiled a couple of headphones that are really too large for their own good, making an extremely pronounced stand where music playback is concerned. The Grande headphones will ship in a neon pink and green color or just plain black (which always stands against the test of time), accompanied by a coiled cord that makes carrying it around a whole lot less bulky. In addition, you can use the Grande headphones with your cell phone, allowing you to listen to your mom with greater clarity as she nags you on the umpteenth time to clear the room. As for the Stiloso headphones, they’re even more retro looking, so it really depends on your budget as to which headset to pick up. The Grande and Stiloso will retail for $70 and $52, respectively.
Product Page via Chip Chick
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Latest News on MP3 Players: iBible and ZunesCoolest Trashcan ever …Tannoy PSP Speaker SystemiHearSafe earbuds to prevent hearing lossSonic Boom Sweetheart Alarm Clock: torture yourself every morning
Good Design Goes Viral, Dyson Disclaimer
http://www.treehugger.com/air-line-wind-solar-clothing-dryer.jpg
Dyson is currently clarifying that a wind and solar clothing rack concept stems from a Dyson-branded design competition and is not a Dyson product protoype. Darn. But given how quickly the internet community embraced this design, that may just change. Websites and bloggers have been singing the praises of the clever "Air-line", submitted by Mr. Daniel Fitzgerald of Swineburn University. Will Dyson take the bait and take advantage of the creativity it has sponsored?...
Dyson is currently clarifying that a wind and solar clothing rack concept stems from a Dyson-branded design competition and is not a Dyson product protoype. Darn. But given how quickly the internet community embraced this design, that may just change. Websites and bloggers have been singing the praises of the clever "Air-line", submitted by Mr. Daniel Fitzgerald of Swineburn University. Will Dyson take the bait and take advantage of the creativity it has sponsored?...
AT&T LG Vu Specs, Images Leaked [Cellphones]
The chaps at Phone Arena have managed to gain some leaked press shots of AT&T's LG Vu, and it is looking tastier than before. The Vu will come in two primary versions; the CU915 will lack a mobile TV...
Dilbert's Boss Is Probably Zoltan in Disguise [Cartoon]
Today's Dilbert cartoon reminds me of Addy's brilliant story about Zoltan, the man who married a robot made with a sex doll, hacked teledildonics, and A.L.I.C.E., the artificial intelligence software...
C-jump will teach your kids how to program
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/cjumpwi3.jpg
Source: GearFuse
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Healthy JumpBOB Screentime controllerBoard Game to Teach Programming2 Cool Christmas Gifts For Your KidsSlim Pad - laptop for kids
Programming has never been my forte. While I can do enough HTML to put together a very basic website, however, I couldn’t code my way out of a wet paper bag. Now had this board game been out when I was younger, that might be a different story.
The C-jump Computer Programming Board Game teaches kids 11 and up the basics of C, C++ and Java coding. The “game helps to develop understanding of a complete computer program, formed by logical sequences of commands.â€
Some people push their kids into singing or dancing when they are kids, so why not push them into programming? No word on pricing or availability.
Source: GearFuse
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Healthy JumpBOB Screentime controllerBoard Game to Teach Programming2 Cool Christmas Gifts For Your KidsSlim Pad - laptop for kids
Source: GearFuse
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Healthy JumpBOB Screentime controllerBoard Game to Teach Programming2 Cool Christmas Gifts For Your KidsSlim Pad - laptop for kids
Programming has never been my forte. While I can do enough HTML to put together a very basic website, however, I couldn’t code my way out of a wet paper bag. Now had this board game been out when I was younger, that might be a different story.
The C-jump Computer Programming Board Game teaches kids 11 and up the basics of C, C++ and Java coding. The “game helps to develop understanding of a complete computer program, formed by logical sequences of commands.â€
Some people push their kids into singing or dancing when they are kids, so why not push them into programming? No word on pricing or availability.
Source: GearFuse
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Healthy JumpBOB Screentime controllerBoard Game to Teach Programming2 Cool Christmas Gifts For Your KidsSlim Pad - laptop for kids
Not Your Ordinary Google Interface
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZaGO7GjCqAI/R-9mNupQvAI/AAAAAAAAITw/UI8YgT9zDYE/s640/google-latin.png
Google's interface is available in 116 languages, but some of them are extinct, artificial or invented languages. You can set any language as default by going to the preferences page, but if you don't know how to go back to the original language, select "Google.com in English" from the homepage to reset the language to English or delete your Google cookie.
Extinct languages
The latin interface is monumental and it makes Google more trustworthy and knowledgeable.
Artificial languages
Google in Esperanto is very laconic and it even offers the option to restrict your search to web pages written in Esperanto.
The Interlingua interface uses an auxiliary languages that was created as a common denominator for Romanic languages. "With Interlingua an objective procedure is used to extract and standardize the most widespread word or words for a concept found in a set of control languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, with German and Russian as secondary references," explains Wikipedia.
Fictional languages
For Star Trek's fans, there's a Klingon Google. Klingon is an artificial language that has its own sounds, rules and words. "A small number of people, mostly dedicated Star Trek fans or language aficionados, can converse in Klingon. Its vocabulary, heavily centered on Star Trek or 'Klingon' concepts such as spacecraft or warfare, can sometimes make it cumbersome for everyday use â€" for instance, while there are words for transporter ionizer unit (jolvoy') or bridge (of a ship) (meH), there is currently no word for bridge (that you drive over). Nonetheless, mundane conversations are common among skilled speakers." Marc Okrand, who invented the language, explains more about its meaning in an interesting video.
Bork, Bork, Bork! is the language of Swedish Chef, a character from the Muppet Show. "Nearly all Swedish Chef sketches begin with him in a kitchen, waving some utensils while singing his signature song in a trademark mock Swedish â€" a semi-comprehensible gibberish which parodies the characteristic vowel sounds of Swedish. The song's lyrics vary slightly from one episode to the next, but always end with börk! börk! börk! as the Chef throws the utensils aside." You can find Swedish Chef sketches at YouTube and install a cool Firefox extension that translates the content of web pages to Bork.
Elmer Fudd is a cartoon character. "He has one of the more convoluted and disputed origins in the Warner Brothers cartoon pantheon (second only to Bugs Bunny himself). His aim is to shoot Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring himself. His stock line is: Shhhhhhhh, be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet; I'm hunting wabbits, heheheheheheh, although it varies in certain cartoons." This Bugs Bunny episode shows Elmer Fudd trying to capture the "scwewy wabbit".
Language games
The Pig Latin language has its roots in Britain and was initially used by criminals as a simple way to encrypt their messages. The rules are simple: if the word starts with a consonant, it's placed at the end and is followed by ay; if the word starts with a vowel, way is appended to the word. For example, Web becomes Ebway.
Internet languages
Google's hacker interface was inevitable for a company with a culture that encourages hacking. According to Wikipedia, leet "is a written argot used primarily on the Internet, which uses various combinations of ASCII characters to replace Latinate letters. The term is derived from the word elite, and the usage it describes is a specialized form of symbolic writing." There's no unique way to translate words into leet, but some of the most popular rules are to replace letters with digits or other symbols that look similar (for example, g -> 6, o -> 0, l -> 7, e -> 3). A simple way to access Google's leet interface is to go to 600673.com.
Unfortunately, most of Google's recent services aren't available in any of these languages, so you'll only be able to see Google Search, Image Search and Google Directory. The Google in your language program, which allows anyone to translate the messages from Google's services, includes these languages, but the translations aren't live for Gmail, Google Video etc.
Google's interface is available in 116 languages, but some of them are extinct, artificial or invented languages. You can set any language as default by going to the preferences page, but if you don't know how to go back to the original language, select "Google.com in English" from the homepage to reset the language to English or delete your Google cookie.
Extinct languages
The latin interface is monumental and it makes Google more trustworthy and knowledgeable.
Artificial languages
Google in Esperanto is very laconic and it even offers the option to restrict your search to web pages written in Esperanto.
The Interlingua interface uses an auxiliary languages that was created as a common denominator for Romanic languages. "With Interlingua an objective procedure is used to extract and standardize the most widespread word or words for a concept found in a set of control languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, with German and Russian as secondary references," explains Wikipedia.
Fictional languages
For Star Trek's fans, there's a Klingon Google. Klingon is an artificial language that has its own sounds, rules and words. "A small number of people, mostly dedicated Star Trek fans or language aficionados, can converse in Klingon. Its vocabulary, heavily centered on Star Trek or 'Klingon' concepts such as spacecraft or warfare, can sometimes make it cumbersome for everyday use â€" for instance, while there are words for transporter ionizer unit (jolvoy') or bridge (of a ship) (meH), there is currently no word for bridge (that you drive over). Nonetheless, mundane conversations are common among skilled speakers." Marc Okrand, who invented the language, explains more about its meaning in an interesting video.
Bork, Bork, Bork! is the language of Swedish Chef, a character from the Muppet Show. "Nearly all Swedish Chef sketches begin with him in a kitchen, waving some utensils while singing his signature song in a trademark mock Swedish â€" a semi-comprehensible gibberish which parodies the characteristic vowel sounds of Swedish. The song's lyrics vary slightly from one episode to the next, but always end with börk! börk! börk! as the Chef throws the utensils aside." You can find Swedish Chef sketches at YouTube and install a cool Firefox extension that translates the content of web pages to Bork.
Elmer Fudd is a cartoon character. "He has one of the more convoluted and disputed origins in the Warner Brothers cartoon pantheon (second only to Bugs Bunny himself). His aim is to shoot Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring himself. His stock line is: Shhhhhhhh, be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet; I'm hunting wabbits, heheheheheheh, although it varies in certain cartoons." This Bugs Bunny episode shows Elmer Fudd trying to capture the "scwewy wabbit".
Language games
The Pig Latin language has its roots in Britain and was initially used by criminals as a simple way to encrypt their messages. The rules are simple: if the word starts with a consonant, it's placed at the end and is followed by ay; if the word starts with a vowel, way is appended to the word. For example, Web becomes Ebway.
Internet languages
Google's hacker interface was inevitable for a company with a culture that encourages hacking. According to Wikipedia, leet "is a written argot used primarily on the Internet, which uses various combinations of ASCII characters to replace Latinate letters. The term is derived from the word elite, and the usage it describes is a specialized form of symbolic writing." There's no unique way to translate words into leet, but some of the most popular rules are to replace letters with digits or other symbols that look similar (for example, g -> 6, o -> 0, l -> 7, e -> 3). A simple way to access Google's leet interface is to go to 600673.com.
Unfortunately, most of Google's recent services aren't available in any of these languages, so you'll only be able to see Google Search, Image Search and Google Directory. The Google in your language program, which allows anyone to translate the messages from Google's services, includes these languages, but the translations aren't live for Gmail, Google Video etc.
Cancer patient has PSP stolen en route to chemotherapy treatment
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-29-08-psp_handson.jpg
There's depressing gaming stories, and then there are outright travesties. Unfortunately, this case falls squarely into the latter category, as a 7-year old cancer patient had his beloved PlayStation Portable swiped -- right along with his medical records, a backpack full of medication, his games and even his homework -- while en route to a chemotherapy treatment for a tumor in his brain. Apparently the boy's family had stopped at a restaurant while traveling from Oklahoma to Texas, and while inside, thieves had their way with what was left inside the vehicle. Thankfully, authorities from the Dallas police department came to the rescue by purchasing a brand new PSP and raising over $1,000 to repurchase the goods that were lost, and as for the crooks, we'll just trust karma to handle the rest.
There's depressing gaming stories, and then there are outright travesties. Unfortunately, this case falls squarely into the latter category, as a 7-year old cancer patient had his beloved PlayStation Portable swiped -- right along with his medical records, a backpack full of medication, his games and even his homework -- while en route to a chemotherapy treatment for a tumor in his brain. Apparently the boy's family had stopped at a restaurant while traveling from Oklahoma to Texas, and while inside, thieves had their way with what was left inside the vehicle. Thankfully, authorities from the Dallas police department came to the rescue by purchasing a brand new PSP and raising over $1,000 to repurchase the goods that were lost, and as for the crooks, we'll just trust karma to handle the rest.
Tengu lip syncs to tunes
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/tengu.gif
I suppose for £19.95, there really isn’t much to ask from Tengu. So what if he can’t bring in the paper, transfer files from a memory card to your computer or speed up the time so that you can clock out and hit the local tavern for some winding down drinks. At least Tengu shares your musical preference without ending up being a critic like those nasty colleagues of yours, and best of all is you will be able to share your deepest, darkest secrets with him without having him ask you to shut up or charge you by the hour. Of course, should the situation actually whittle down to that, I’d strongly recommend you make an appointment with the nearest qualified shrink. Pronto.Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Toilet Tunes - Music for your throneDelphi SKYFi3 + Vehicle KitZipit unveils new Wireless MessengerBumblebee gets groovyThummer electronic musical instrumentGadget mavens Firebox has finally made available the Tengu USB desktop toy which is guaranteed to add a whole lot of excitement to your world. Perfect for folks who have very few or no friends at all, Tengu will be able to keep you company at the office by making different faces according to its mood. In addition, he isn’t as tone deaf as you might think despite the lack of biological ears - Tengu is smart enough (or at least he was programmed to be) to lip sync according to the music that is played, making it look as though he is singing his heart out with you as the only sad audience!
There are several innovative ways to interact with Tengu - you can choose to blow on his face to rouse him from his slumber, play your favorite tunes and see him join in on the fun, or even blow on the microphone to change his facial expression. I guess I’d wake up from my sweet dreams too if somebody was daft enough to blow on my face, but I sure as heck won’t be as forgiving as Tengu who lacks the limbs to retaliate after leaving some spittle on his face. I guess this highly interactive toy won’t make your bosses too happy, since it will most probably lower your productivity as you spend more and more time with it instead of churning out those numbers on a spreadsheet as required by the upper management.
I suppose for £19.95, there really isn’t much to ask from Tengu. So what if he can’t bring in the paper, transfer files from a memory card to your computer or speed up the time so that you can clock out and hit the local tavern for some winding down drinks. At least Tengu shares your musical preference without ending up being a critic like those nasty colleagues of yours, and best of all is you will be able to share your deepest, darkest secrets with him without having him ask you to shut up or charge you by the hour. Of course, should the situation actually whittle down to that, I’d strongly recommend you make an appointment with the nearest qualified shrink. Pronto.Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Toilet Tunes - Music for your throneDelphi SKYFi3 + Vehicle KitZipit unveils new Wireless MessengerBumblebee gets groovyThummer electronic musical instrument
I suppose for £19.95, there really isn’t much to ask from Tengu. So what if he can’t bring in the paper, transfer files from a memory card to your computer or speed up the time so that you can clock out and hit the local tavern for some winding down drinks. At least Tengu shares your musical preference without ending up being a critic like those nasty colleagues of yours, and best of all is you will be able to share your deepest, darkest secrets with him without having him ask you to shut up or charge you by the hour. Of course, should the situation actually whittle down to that, I’d strongly recommend you make an appointment with the nearest qualified shrink. Pronto.Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
Related Posts:Toilet Tunes - Music for your throneDelphi SKYFi3 + Vehicle KitZipit unveils new Wireless MessengerBumblebee gets groovyThummer electronic musical instrumentGadget mavens Firebox has finally made available the Tengu USB desktop toy which is guaranteed to add a whole lot of excitement to your world. Perfect for folks who have very few or no friends at all, Tengu will be able to keep you company at the office by making different faces according to its mood. In addition, he isn’t as tone deaf as you might think despite the lack of biological ears - Tengu is smart enough (or at least he was programmed to be) to lip sync according to the music that is played, making it look as though he is singing his heart out with you as the only sad audience!
There are several innovative ways to interact with Tengu - you can choose to blow on his face to rouse him from his slumber, play your favorite tunes and see him join in on the fun, or even blow on the microphone to change his facial expression. I guess I’d wake up from my sweet dreams too if somebody was daft enough to blow on my face, but I sure as heck won’t be as forgiving as Tengu who lacks the limbs to retaliate after leaving some spittle on his face. I guess this highly interactive toy won’t make your bosses too happy, since it will most probably lower your productivity as you spend more and more time with it instead of churning out those numbers on a spreadsheet as required by the upper management.
I suppose for £19.95, there really isn’t much to ask from Tengu. So what if he can’t bring in the paper, transfer files from a memory card to your computer or speed up the time so that you can clock out and hit the local tavern for some winding down drinks. At least Tengu shares your musical preference without ending up being a critic like those nasty colleagues of yours, and best of all is you will be able to share your deepest, darkest secrets with him without having him ask you to shut up or charge you by the hour. Of course, should the situation actually whittle down to that, I’d strongly recommend you make an appointment with the nearest qualified shrink. Pronto.Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Toilet Tunes - Music for your throneDelphi SKYFi3 + Vehicle KitZipit unveils new Wireless MessengerBumblebee gets groovyThummer electronic musical instrument
iPhone Pwnage Tool to Be Released Tomorrow [IPhone]
The iPhone Dev Team's Pwnage tool is set for public release tomorrow. The tool allows you to upgrade any iPhone with the latest firmware from Apple, modified to make it work with any compatible...
Air Jordan 6IX (Six) Rings First Look
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/air-jordan-6ix-rings-main.jpg
A new concept just like the Dub Zero and Spizike, the Air Jordan 6ix (Six) Rings uses a mixture of past Jordan’s. At a quick look, we can see the Air Jordan 11 (mid panel), 13 (sole), 8 (tongue) 12 (lace loops).The colorway used on this Air Jordan 6IX (Six) Rings is from the
A new concept just like the Dub Zero and Spizike, the Air Jordan 6ix (Six) Rings uses a mixture of past Jordan’s. At a quick look, we can see the Air Jordan 11 (mid panel), 13 (sole), 8 (tongue) 12 (lace loops).
The colorway used on this Air Jordan 6IX (Six) Rings is from the Air Jordan 11 Concords. Expected release date is November 1st 2008, which is a long way off. Via TheRetroKid.
In other news: The image is tagged that the Air Jordan 11 Space Jam will release again on January 24th 2009, but this has not been confirmed.
A new concept just like the Dub Zero and Spizike, the Air Jordan 6ix (Six) Rings uses a mixture of past Jordan’s. At a quick look, we can see the Air Jordan 11 (mid panel), 13 (sole), 8 (tongue) 12 (lace loops).The colorway used on this Air Jordan 6IX (Six) Rings is from the
A new concept just like the Dub Zero and Spizike, the Air Jordan 6ix (Six) Rings uses a mixture of past Jordan’s. At a quick look, we can see the Air Jordan 11 (mid panel), 13 (sole), 8 (tongue) 12 (lace loops).
The colorway used on this Air Jordan 6IX (Six) Rings is from the Air Jordan 11 Concords. Expected release date is November 1st 2008, which is a long way off. Via TheRetroKid.
In other news: The image is tagged that the Air Jordan 11 Space Jam will release again on January 24th 2009, but this has not been confirmed.
Windows XP Eee PC Available at Best Buy in April, Pricing Stays Sweet [UMPCs]
Our buddies at LaptopMag have just published details about the long-rumored, US bound, Windows XP Eee PC. The Windows XP version will go on sale at Best Buy for $399, and you won't have to wait too...
Air Jordan Team 2.5 Debut
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/air-jordan-2-5-main.jpg
Jordan Brand has no intent on stopping, nor slowing down on the hybrid models, but one thing is for sure, they are getting better. Here the new Air Jordan Team 2.5 debuts, a mixture of the Air Jordan 2 and Air Jordan 3.The Air Jordan Team 2.5 contains the Air Jordan 3 sole, tongue,
Jordan Brand has no intent on stopping, nor slowing down on the hybrid models, but one thing is for sure, they are getting better. Here the new Air Jordan Team 2.5 debuts, a mixture of the Air Jordan 2 and Air Jordan 3.
The Air Jordan Team 2.5 contains the Air Jordan 3 sole, tongue, heel tab, and the Jordan 2 Wings logo, mid section, and toe box. Also added is a exposed air unit towards the heel. A release date and more information coming soon. Via TheRetroKid.
Jordan Brand has no intent on stopping, nor slowing down on the hybrid models, but one thing is for sure, they are getting better. Here the new Air Jordan Team 2.5 debuts, a mixture of the Air Jordan 2 and Air Jordan 3.The Air Jordan Team 2.5 contains the Air Jordan 3 sole, tongue,
Jordan Brand has no intent on stopping, nor slowing down on the hybrid models, but one thing is for sure, they are getting better. Here the new Air Jordan Team 2.5 debuts, a mixture of the Air Jordan 2 and Air Jordan 3.
The Air Jordan Team 2.5 contains the Air Jordan 3 sole, tongue, heel tab, and the Jordan 2 Wings logo, mid section, and toe box. Also added is a exposed air unit towards the heel. A release date and more information coming soon. Via TheRetroKid.
Nike Euro Champs Air Max 90 Premium - White / Navy / Red
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/eurochampsairmax90.jpg
Posted earlier today, the Nike Euro Champs Air Max 1 Premium was previewed and displayed its use of premium materials and subtle colors. Here’s a look at another Air Max from the Euro Champs pack, the Air Max 90 Premium. Sporting a simple White, Navy and Red color-way, this Air Max 90 features a little
Posted earlier today, the Nike Euro Champs Air Max 1 Premium was previewed and displayed its use of premium materials and subtle colors. Here’s a look at another Air Max from the Euro Champs pack, the Air Max 90 Premium.
Sporting a simple White, Navy and Red color-way, this Air Max 90 features a little more color than the Air Max 1 and also features a unmistakable Navy splattered mid-sole. Besides that, the shoe is overall a little plain and lacks the premium materials seen on the Air Max 1. But is a great release nevertheless. Available now at Caliroots.
Posted earlier today, the Nike Euro Champs Air Max 1 Premium was previewed and displayed its use of premium materials and subtle colors. Here’s a look at another Air Max from the Euro Champs pack, the Air Max 90 Premium. Sporting a simple White, Navy and Red color-way, this Air Max 90 features a little
Posted earlier today, the Nike Euro Champs Air Max 1 Premium was previewed and displayed its use of premium materials and subtle colors. Here’s a look at another Air Max from the Euro Champs pack, the Air Max 90 Premium.
Sporting a simple White, Navy and Red color-way, this Air Max 90 features a little more color than the Air Max 1 and also features a unmistakable Navy splattered mid-sole. Besides that, the shoe is overall a little plain and lacks the premium materials seen on the Air Max 1. But is a great release nevertheless. Available now at Caliroots.
Coolaworld: Shopping Can't Save Us
http://www.treehugger.com/Coolaworld.jpg
Having written only yesterday about how we hoped the green living show LondonAware08 would be more than just another chance to consume ‘ethically’, we thought we’d check out some of the exhibitors. Unfortunately the first one we came across, Coolaworld, doesn’t exactly fill us with excitement. Breathlessly exclaiming that users can “shop and save the planetâ€, Coolaworld is basically an online shopping service that allows you to build credits that are donated to cool projects....
Having written only yesterday about how we hoped the green living show LondonAware08 would be more than just another chance to consume ‘ethically’, we thought we’d check out some of the exhibitors. Unfortunately the first one we came across, Coolaworld, doesn’t exactly fill us with excitement. Breathlessly exclaiming that users can “shop and save the planetâ€, Coolaworld is basically an online shopping service that allows you to build credits that are donated to cool projects....
Atom processor to cost Intel just $6 to $8?
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/intel-atom-roadmap.jpg
Ever since Intel compared the criticality of its (still) forthcoming Silverthorne (which now goes by Atom, if you couldn't guess) processor to the original Pentium last June, we've all wondered just how fantasmical our worlds would become when this thing finally dropped. Now, however, Tom's Hardware has discovered that the release may actually do more for Intel than we geeks. After consulting a source it believes to be quite credible, it found that the CPU -- which will likely sell for upwards of $30 at the low-end -- will cost Intel just "$6 to $8, including production, packaging and shipping." Without busting out the abacus, it's still fairly easy to see how profitable said chips could be if Intel can move these at even a snail's pace, but of course, we'd take the dollars and cents estimates with a grain of salt until they actually hit the market.
Ever since Intel compared the criticality of its (still) forthcoming Silverthorne (which now goes by Atom, if you couldn't guess) processor to the original Pentium last June, we've all wondered just how fantasmical our worlds would become when this thing finally dropped. Now, however, Tom's Hardware has discovered that the release may actually do more for Intel than we geeks. After consulting a source it believes to be quite credible, it found that the CPU -- which will likely sell for upwards of $30 at the low-end -- will cost Intel just "$6 to $8, including production, packaging and shipping." Without busting out the abacus, it's still fairly easy to see how profitable said chips could be if Intel can move these at even a snail's pace, but of course, we'd take the dollars and cents estimates with a grain of salt until they actually hit the market.
Nike Dunk SB Low Piet Mondrian
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/reddunksb.jpg
Small pictures of the Nike Dunk SB Low Piet Mondrian appeared months ago, but displayed little detail. Here’s a look at the new Dunk SB Low inspired by Dutch artist Pieter (Piet) Cornelis Mondrian. With the new pictures, it is evident that nubuck and canvas will be featured alongside bold outlines around the panels and
Small pictures of the Nike Dunk SB Low Piet Mondrian appeared months ago, but displayed little detail. Here’s a look at the new Dunk SB Low inspired by Dutch artist Pieter (Piet) Cornelis Mondrian. With the new pictures, it is evident that nubuck and canvas will be featured alongside bold outlines around the panels and toe box. Via ct.
Small pictures of the Nike Dunk SB Low Piet Mondrian appeared months ago, but displayed little detail. Here’s a look at the new Dunk SB Low inspired by Dutch artist Pieter (Piet) Cornelis Mondrian. With the new pictures, it is evident that nubuck and canvas will be featured alongside bold outlines around the panels and
Small pictures of the Nike Dunk SB Low Piet Mondrian appeared months ago, but displayed little detail. Here’s a look at the new Dunk SB Low inspired by Dutch artist Pieter (Piet) Cornelis Mondrian. With the new pictures, it is evident that nubuck and canvas will be featured alongside bold outlines around the panels and toe box. Via ct.
Nike Womens Dunk - Liberty Fabric Pack
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/fabricpackdunksmain.jpg
Part of Nike’s latest Liberty Fabric Pack has already been reported and now a look at both of the Dunks can been seen above. Featured in the pack are the Dunk Low and Dunk High which both sport fabric materials with a combination of Loganberry and Grey.Both are separated from each other with the use
Part of Nike’s latest Liberty Fabric Pack has already been reported and now a look at both of the Dunks can been seen above. Featured in the pack are the Dunk Low and Dunk High which both sport fabric materials with a combination of Loganberry and Grey.
Both are separated from each other with the use of darker colors and a gum-sole like mid-sole which is applied to the Dunk High while the Dunk Low sports a flower print. The Liberty Fabric Pack is available now at Nike retailers and Proper.
Part of Nike’s latest Liberty Fabric Pack has already been reported and now a look at both of the Dunks can been seen above. Featured in the pack are the Dunk Low and Dunk High which both sport fabric materials with a combination of Loganberry and Grey.Both are separated from each other with the use
Part of Nike’s latest Liberty Fabric Pack has already been reported and now a look at both of the Dunks can been seen above. Featured in the pack are the Dunk Low and Dunk High which both sport fabric materials with a combination of Loganberry and Grey.
Both are separated from each other with the use of darker colors and a gum-sole like mid-sole which is applied to the Dunk High while the Dunk Low sports a flower print. The Liberty Fabric Pack is available now at Nike retailers and Proper.
Biosensing nanodevice could hasten security checks, health screenings
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-29-08-biosensing.jpg
We'll go ahead and warn you: if you're hoping to purge your mind of all things science this weekend, this post isn't the one to be reading. For the rest of you knowledge seekers, Arizona State University researcher Wayne Frasch has developed a biosensing nanodevice that could possibly revolutionize health screenings and speed up that grueling airport security process. Put simply (well, as simply as possible), he discovered that the enzyme F1- ATPase can be equipped with an optical probe and "manipulated to emit a signal when it detects a single molecule of target DNA." Currently, a prototype of the DNA detector is already being worked up, but there's no word on when (or if) the device will escape the lab and hit the commercial realm. Still not geeked out? Hit the read link and hold on for dear life.
We'll go ahead and warn you: if you're hoping to purge your mind of all things science this weekend, this post isn't the one to be reading. For the rest of you knowledge seekers, Arizona State University researcher Wayne Frasch has developed a biosensing nanodevice that could possibly revolutionize health screenings and speed up that grueling airport security process. Put simply (well, as simply as possible), he discovered that the enzyme F1- ATPase can be equipped with an optical probe and "manipulated to emit a signal when it detects a single molecule of target DNA." Currently, a prototype of the DNA detector is already being worked up, but there's no word on when (or if) the device will escape the lab and hit the commercial realm. Still not geeked out? Hit the read link and hold on for dear life.
Perfect Party Cake: Dorie And The Daring Bakers
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_of9NPGo1g1M/R-8jI15mPKI/AAAAAAAADF8/oOomT-YsawI/s400/Party+Cake3.jpg
It was bound to happen that one of these days the Daring Bakers would tackle a Dorie Greenspan recipe. Her last volume, Baking From My Home To Yours is filled with delightful, well written and failproof desserts, pastries and treats. I had my share of baking from her book and I was delighted when Morven, our host for March announced that we would all be making her Perfect Party Cake. I have made it several times this year for different birthday parties and occasions and I have fallen in love with the textures and tastes of both the cake and the buttercream. I believe it has become the cake I use the most for building tiered cakes or "party cakes".
Since I always make it according to the person's wishes when he/she orders, I rarely get the chance to play around with the decorations or flavors. Not this time! Boy, did I have a blast with this one! It's been a while since I selfishly made a cake with all the ingredients that I like. I appreciate that we could take liberties from the original recipe and add our own touch with the fillings, shapes and decorations for this Perfect Party Cake.
There was no special occasion in sight when I made the cake at the beginning of the month, so I went for four 4 inches round ones rather than one large one. That became of a great advantage when my neighbor decided to host an impromptu birthday party for her twins' little friends, twins also this afternoon. All I had to do was thaw the filled cakes and the buttercream last night and decorate this morning. The two different cakes pictured in this post were made earlier this month but I kept the same decorating idea for the twin girls. Perfectly girly and yet different enough that they would each have their own. Worked like a charm!!
I love (small word) rhubarb and when I saw the perfect red stalks making an appearance on the market hsleves earlier this month, I bought a whopping 10 pounds of them and made preserves to be used in different desserts throughout the year. The original recipe for the Perfect Party Cake uses raspeberry as the filling in the cake layers but I could not resist using the fresh rhubarb jam I had just made. That was until B. got word of my plan and gave me the "I dont like rhubarb" story all over again. Either he bit into a raw stalk one time or I just don't get it....with plenty of sugar rhubarb is just heaven to me. Must be his aversio to shreds and strands, but I'' go back to that later. I hesitated for a minute and then remembered the jar of Chocolate and Raspberry jam that Guillemette had sent me along with the pink praline and that I was saving for a special occasion. The Daring Bakers' monthly post is a special occasion so there you go! We had the perfect "His and Hers Perfect Party Cake"
The other little flavor playing around that I did was to replace the lemon zest in the cake batter and the lemon juice in the cake buttercream with Meyer lemon zest and Meyer lemon juice. It was a nice and subtle citrus addition, milder than regular lemon enhancing the rhubarb and chocolate-raspberry without being bitter or harsh. For the tops of the cake, I parted from Dorie's recipe once more as she uses grated coconut to decorate the cake and I live with an anti coconut husband. It is not so much the flavor but once again it is the consistency "all those shreds!"...ah well, honey you are in for a rude life with me....but once I got started with the chocolate I made enough for two cakes, so no coconut for me either (that gives me the excuse to make the cake again!). The chocolate shavings are white chocolate and pink tinted white chocolate melted and swirled together on a slab, left to cool and then scraped to obtain shavings.
As you can see I love dots, polka dots, mini dots, big dots...more dots! I made a batch of small macarons, some pink, some red, some swirled for one cake and with the other I tinted the buttercream and used a large and a small plain tip to pipe dots. The macarons went on the rhubarb cake and the dots on the chocolate-raspberry one, happy happy!!! Now that I think about it I bet that a rose flavored buttercream would have been great with the rhubarb. Again, there is always next time!!
Thank you Lisa and Ivonne for the tremendous work you do each month to keep this group going! Thanks again Morven for a great time in the kitchen! Please check out all the other Daring Bakers' creations.
Perfect Party Cake, adapted from Dorie Greenspan:
For the Cake:
2 1/4 cups cake flour (1 cup cake flour = 1 cup all purpose - 2 Tbs)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated Meyer lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
For the Buttercream:
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
For Finishing:
1/2 cup seedless chocolate - raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable (for 2 cakes)
1/2 rhubarb preserves (for the other 2 cakes)
About 1 ½ cups white chocolate shavings
Macarons
Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 4 4-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a medium bowl.Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the four pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch â€" a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).
To Make the Buttercream:
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate â€" just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.
To Assemble the Cakes: (directions for one, repeat for the other 3)
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with a layer of buttercream. Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer. Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the chocolate shavings into the frosting, patting it gently. Tint some remaining buttercream with your favorite colors and pipe large and sall dots of different colors with plain decorating tips. You can also decorate with macarons (recipe here)
Serving:
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room â€" not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.
Storing:
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well â€" it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.
It was bound to happen that one of these days the Daring Bakers would tackle a Dorie Greenspan recipe. Her last volume, Baking From My Home To Yours is filled with delightful, well written and failproof desserts, pastries and treats. I had my share of baking from her book and I was delighted when Morven, our host for March announced that we would all be making her Perfect Party Cake. I have made it several times this year for different birthday parties and occasions and I have fallen in love with the textures and tastes of both the cake and the buttercream. I believe it has become the cake I use the most for building tiered cakes or "party cakes".
Since I always make it according to the person's wishes when he/she orders, I rarely get the chance to play around with the decorations or flavors. Not this time! Boy, did I have a blast with this one! It's been a while since I selfishly made a cake with all the ingredients that I like. I appreciate that we could take liberties from the original recipe and add our own touch with the fillings, shapes and decorations for this Perfect Party Cake.
There was no special occasion in sight when I made the cake at the beginning of the month, so I went for four 4 inches round ones rather than one large one. That became of a great advantage when my neighbor decided to host an impromptu birthday party for her twins' little friends, twins also this afternoon. All I had to do was thaw the filled cakes and the buttercream last night and decorate this morning. The two different cakes pictured in this post were made earlier this month but I kept the same decorating idea for the twin girls. Perfectly girly and yet different enough that they would each have their own. Worked like a charm!!
I love (small word) rhubarb and when I saw the perfect red stalks making an appearance on the market hsleves earlier this month, I bought a whopping 10 pounds of them and made preserves to be used in different desserts throughout the year. The original recipe for the Perfect Party Cake uses raspeberry as the filling in the cake layers but I could not resist using the fresh rhubarb jam I had just made. That was until B. got word of my plan and gave me the "I dont like rhubarb" story all over again. Either he bit into a raw stalk one time or I just don't get it....with plenty of sugar rhubarb is just heaven to me. Must be his aversio to shreds and strands, but I'' go back to that later. I hesitated for a minute and then remembered the jar of Chocolate and Raspberry jam that Guillemette had sent me along with the pink praline and that I was saving for a special occasion. The Daring Bakers' monthly post is a special occasion so there you go! We had the perfect "His and Hers Perfect Party Cake"
The other little flavor playing around that I did was to replace the lemon zest in the cake batter and the lemon juice in the cake buttercream with Meyer lemon zest and Meyer lemon juice. It was a nice and subtle citrus addition, milder than regular lemon enhancing the rhubarb and chocolate-raspberry without being bitter or harsh. For the tops of the cake, I parted from Dorie's recipe once more as she uses grated coconut to decorate the cake and I live with an anti coconut husband. It is not so much the flavor but once again it is the consistency "all those shreds!"...ah well, honey you are in for a rude life with me....but once I got started with the chocolate I made enough for two cakes, so no coconut for me either (that gives me the excuse to make the cake again!). The chocolate shavings are white chocolate and pink tinted white chocolate melted and swirled together on a slab, left to cool and then scraped to obtain shavings.
As you can see I love dots, polka dots, mini dots, big dots...more dots! I made a batch of small macarons, some pink, some red, some swirled for one cake and with the other I tinted the buttercream and used a large and a small plain tip to pipe dots. The macarons went on the rhubarb cake and the dots on the chocolate-raspberry one, happy happy!!! Now that I think about it I bet that a rose flavored buttercream would have been great with the rhubarb. Again, there is always next time!!
Thank you Lisa and Ivonne for the tremendous work you do each month to keep this group going! Thanks again Morven for a great time in the kitchen! Please check out all the other Daring Bakers' creations.
Perfect Party Cake, adapted from Dorie Greenspan:
For the Cake:
2 1/4 cups cake flour (1 cup cake flour = 1 cup all purpose - 2 Tbs)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated Meyer lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
For the Buttercream:
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
For Finishing:
1/2 cup seedless chocolate - raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable (for 2 cakes)
1/2 rhubarb preserves (for the other 2 cakes)
About 1 ½ cups white chocolate shavings
Macarons
Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 4 4-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a medium bowl.Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the four pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch â€" a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).
To Make the Buttercream:
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate â€" just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.
To Assemble the Cakes: (directions for one, repeat for the other 3)
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with a layer of buttercream. Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer. Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the chocolate shavings into the frosting, patting it gently. Tint some remaining buttercream with your favorite colors and pipe large and sall dots of different colors with plain decorating tips. You can also decorate with macarons (recipe here)
Serving:
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room â€" not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.
Storing:
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well â€" it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.
Earth Hour 2008 From Sydney, Australia
http://www.treehugger.com/earthhour2008.jpg
Last year, for the very first Earth Hour, we bundled ourselves up a picnic supper and drove off to the parking nightmare that is the north shore of Sydney Harbour. Sitting in the gloaming of a nature reserve, with hundreds of other Earth Hour devotees. This was a people-filled event, just like New Years Eve fireworks. Yet instead of the city being lit by an orgy of pastel coloured exploding light, it was about to wink out. We munched and supped as the iconic Harbour Bridge lights disappeared. And many of the business district skyscrapers dimmed also. But the distinct Opera House retained it's under-lit spotlight...
Last year, for the very first Earth Hour, we bundled ourselves up a picnic supper and drove off to the parking nightmare that is the north shore of Sydney Harbour. Sitting in the gloaming of a nature reserve, with hundreds of other Earth Hour devotees. This was a people-filled event, just like New Years Eve fireworks. Yet instead of the city being lit by an orgy of pastel coloured exploding light, it was about to wink out. We munched and supped as the iconic Harbour Bridge lights disappeared. And many of the business district skyscrapers dimmed also. But the distinct Opera House retained it's under-lit spotlight...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Useful Google Translate Addresses
Translate a web page:
http://www.google.com/translate_c?langpair=LANG1|LANG2&u=URL
Example: http://www.google.com/translate_c?langpair=it|en&u=http://www.corriere.it/ translates Corriere della Sera's homepage from Italian into English.
Translate a web page into English (the input language is detected automatically):
http://www.google.com/translate_c?langpair=en&u=URL
Example: http://www.google.com/translate_c?langpair=en&u=http://www.corriere.it/ translates Corriere della Sera's homepage from Italian into English, but without explicitly mentioning that the web page is written in Italian.
Use Google Translate as a proxy:
http://www.google.com/translate_c?langpair=LANG1|LANG2&u=URL
You basically want to read the page in its initial language, but loaded from Google's servers. LANG2 should be the code for your web page's language, while LANG1 can be any supported language so that LANG1|LANG2 is a valid language pair.
Example: http://www.google.com/translate_c?langpair=fr|en&u=http://craigslist.org shows Craigslist's home page using Google Translate as a way to bypass security restrictions.
Translate a text:
http://www.google.com/translate_t?langpair=LANG1|LANG2&text=TEXT
Example: http://www.google.com/translate_t?langpair=en|es&text=Hello, world! translates "Hello, world!" from English into Spanish.
Notes:
1. the language pairs are listed in this FAQ, while the language codes are included in this long list.
2. To disable Google Translate's annoying tooltips that show the original text, block this JavaScript file: http://209.85.135.104/translate_c.js, for example by adding a new rule in Adblock Plus for Firefox or by using Opera's content blocker.
Hackers embed flashing animations on epilepsy support forum
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-29-08-ryanne.jpg
Shortly after hearing a sad tale of a 7-year old cancer patient having his medication and PSP stolen whilst en route to treatment comes yet another story of the world's meanest preying on the helpless. This go 'round, a group of griefers (assuming to be members of Anonymous) managed to invade a support forum established by the nonprofit Epilepsy Foundation and use JavaScript code and messages littered with flashing animations to effectively assault dozens of visitors who suffer from the disorder. The Foundation managed to catch wind of the problem within 12 hours of the attack, and while the boards were closed down temporarily to purge it of offending messages, many readers (such as RyAnne Fultz, pictured) experienced headaches and seizures before rescue arrived. Let's just say we sincerely hope the culprits get what's comin' to 'em.
Shortly after hearing a sad tale of a 7-year old cancer patient having his medication and PSP stolen whilst en route to treatment comes yet another story of the world's meanest preying on the helpless. This go 'round, a group of griefers (assuming to be members of Anonymous) managed to invade a support forum established by the nonprofit Epilepsy Foundation and use JavaScript code and messages littered with flashing animations to effectively assault dozens of visitors who suffer from the disorder. The Foundation managed to catch wind of the problem within 12 hours of the attack, and while the boards were closed down temporarily to purge it of offending messages, many readers (such as RyAnne Fultz, pictured) experienced headaches and seizures before rescue arrived. Let's just say we sincerely hope the culprits get what's comin' to 'em.
Wii Wheel Gets $14.99 Price Tag; Your Friends Aren't Worth it [Unconfirmed]
Looks like the fellows at Gamestop let the pricing for Nintendo's Wii Wheel slip, and $14.99 is the price you'll be paying for each friend you have over on Mario Kart Wii day, (April 27th.) The game...
The Black Google Homepage
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZaGO7GjCqAI/R-5CI-pQu9I/AAAAAAAAITM/AR9hwqjhWcM/s640/google-black-homepage.png
Google's homepage is black for the users from United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and Denmark to promote Earth Hour, an event that encourages energy conservation. "On Saturday, March 29, 2008, Earth Hour invites people around the world to turn off their lights for one hour â€" from 8:00pm to 9:00pm in their local time zone. (...) Given our company's commitment to environmental awareness and energy efficiency, we strongly support the Earth Hour campaign, and have darkened our homepage today to help spread awareness of what we hope will be a highly successful global event," explains Google in a special page created for the event. Earth Hour started last year in Sydney, but this year many cities from all over the world joined the event.
The purpose of the black homepage is not to save energy, but to raise the awareness of the world's environmental problems. Most people will be surprised to see Google's homepage so radically different and will start to wonder if it's a good idea to imitate Google's blackout. Sometimes small actions make a difference, but in this case the key is elsewhere.
{ Thanks, Michael McGovern. }
Google's homepage is black for the users from United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and Denmark to promote Earth Hour, an event that encourages energy conservation. "On Saturday, March 29, 2008, Earth Hour invites people around the world to turn off their lights for one hour â€" from 8:00pm to 9:00pm in their local time zone. (...) Given our company's commitment to environmental awareness and energy efficiency, we strongly support the Earth Hour campaign, and have darkened our homepage today to help spread awareness of what we hope will be a highly successful global event," explains Google in a special page created for the event. Earth Hour started last year in Sydney, but this year many cities from all over the world joined the event.
The purpose of the black homepage is not to save energy, but to raise the awareness of the world's environmental problems. Most people will be surprised to see Google's homepage so radically different and will start to wonder if it's a good idea to imitate Google's blackout. Sometimes small actions make a difference, but in this case the key is elsewhere.
{ Thanks, Michael McGovern. }
A Letter from Larry Page
Tech~Surf~Blog posts a letter from Larry Page included in Google's Annual Report for 2007. Some interesting excerpts with my emphasis:
Search is a really hard problem. To do a perfect job, you would need to understand all the world's information, and the precise meaning of every query. With all that understanding, you would then have to produce the perfect answer instantly. We are making significant progress, but remain a long way from perfection. We're so serious about improving search that more than a third of our people are working on it. (...)
Sometimes you don't get a good answer to a search because the information simply isn't available on the web. So we are working hard to encourage ecosystems that can generate more content from more authors and creators. For example, we recently announced an early version of a tool called "knol" to help people generate and organize more high-quality authored content. (...)
Advertising is even harder than search. Not only do you have to find the right ad for every situation, but you have to handle paying customers! We have developed very sophisticated advertising systems designed to benefit both users and advertisers. For users, we strive to produce relevant advertising as good as the main content or search results. For advertisers, we provide tools to target and tune their advertising and accurately measure the results of their spending. (...)
We are still keeping to our long-standing plan of devoting 70% of our resources to search and advertising. We debate where we should classify our Apps (Gmail, Docs, etc.) products, but they currently fall into the 20% of resources we devote to related businesses. We use the remaining 10% of our resources on areas that are farther afield but have huge potential, such as Android. We strongly believe that allocating modest resources to new areas is crucial to continuing to innovate. This 10% of our resources generates a tremendous amount of interest and press, precisely because these projects are different and new. Often, we find small teams of only a few people suddenly command huge attention worldwide. That's useful to keep in mind as you read about Google-the vast majority of our resources are working on our core businesses: search and advertising. (...)
We have made tremendous strides in our web applications. I am writing this using Google Docs. I don't have to worry that my computer hard drive might fail and lose my work, because it is automatically being saved into the Google network cloud. (...) We've started the next phase in productivity software. That phase is about working with everyone seamlessly and effortlessly. Our goal is fast, easy access to create or share from any computer in the world. No futzing with software required. Just open your browser. (...)
While almost all of our effort is focused on important improvements to core search and advertising, the small percentage left over is producing a lot of important innovation and even more notice from the world.
It's interesting to notice that Google is still mostly about search and ads, while the other efforts try to encourage creating more content that should improve the search results in the future. Larry Page says that "systems that facilitate high-quality content creation and editing are crucial for the Internet's continued growth", so this is one of the explanations why Google bought Blogger, YouTube or Writely.
{ via Feld Thoughts }
Google's Asian Homepages
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZaGO7GjCqAI/R-1ye-pQu6I/AAAAAAAAITA/zR4ZXoP8ZYg/s640/google-china-new-homepage-mar08.png
Google China is the third international Google site that has a new homepage, radically different from the simple homepage that became a part of Google's identity. Google China's homepage uses animations to display icons and small descriptions for Google services like: Image Search, Google News or Dao Hang.
The other two similar homepages are for Google Korea (launched on June 12, 2007) and Google Japan (launched on March 21, 2008). Google China Blog says that the three homepages were a part of bigger project meant to improve Google's interface and to adapt it to local cultures. For example, Chinese users found it difficult to navigate to other Google services, since they were listed on a different page, so Google decided to place the links more prominently on the homepage.
I liked the last paragraph from Google China's blog post (or its automatic translation, to be more exact):
The change in the Asian region in the entire Home Google is a major patron saint Google Home Marissa has given us the greatest help, and this was her first "replacement" Movement biggest supporters: "You can change as much as possible "of this so let us encourage the Google home page of this classic too bold move from the surgery. Google Home is not static, but, as she insisted to the interests of users, she is also due to the change and you change.
Google already provides an alternative to the "classic" homepage: iGoogle, but the default homepage hasn't changed too much over the years.
{ via Zorgloob }
Google China is the third international Google site that has a new homepage, radically different from the simple homepage that became a part of Google's identity. Google China's homepage uses animations to display icons and small descriptions for Google services like: Image Search, Google News or Dao Hang.
The other two similar homepages are for Google Korea (launched on June 12, 2007) and Google Japan (launched on March 21, 2008). Google China Blog says that the three homepages were a part of bigger project meant to improve Google's interface and to adapt it to local cultures. For example, Chinese users found it difficult to navigate to other Google services, since they were listed on a different page, so Google decided to place the links more prominently on the homepage.
I liked the last paragraph from Google China's blog post (or its automatic translation, to be more exact):
The change in the Asian region in the entire Home Google is a major patron saint Google Home Marissa has given us the greatest help, and this was her first "replacement" Movement biggest supporters: "You can change as much as possible "of this so let us encourage the Google home page of this classic too bold move from the surgery. Google Home is not static, but, as she insisted to the interests of users, she is also due to the change and you change.
Google already provides an alternative to the "classic" homepage: iGoogle, but the default homepage hasn't changed too much over the years.
{ via Zorgloob }
Custom Google Search
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZaGO7GjCqAI/R-VI4-pQuPI/AAAAAAAAIJ0/8kZW6Za4Cz4/s640/google-search-results-reordering-experiment.png
Google has been experimenting with letting users reorder and remove search results. This may seem strange if you think that Google cares a lot about algorithmically ranking search results. The new options allow you to promote some of the results at the top of the page, hide the results you think are not relevant and add new web pages that are missing from Google's results. These changes are saved in your Google account and only influence your results. For now, the users who see the experimental feature are randomly selected.
These new personalization options can be partly recreated using a custom search engine. You can build a custom search engine for the entire web, that should include all the sites from Google's index. Every time you find web pages or web sites that are not very useful, but have good rankings, you can edit the search engine and them to the exclusion list.
To promote search results, check this option in the custom search engine's settings: "Add my Subscribed Link to this Custom Search Engine". Then create subscribed links for some of the terms you search often. Alternatively, you could use Google Spreadsheets to define a list of subscribed links. The subscribed links are also included if you use Google's standard search engine, but they're displayed after the third search result.
The custom search engine lacks the user interface options from Google's experimental feature, but it's a pretty powerful way to customize your search experience.
Useful links:
Manage your custom search engines
Manage your subscribed links
{ First screenshot, by Nimish. }
Google has been experimenting with letting users reorder and remove search results. This may seem strange if you think that Google cares a lot about algorithmically ranking search results. The new options allow you to promote some of the results at the top of the page, hide the results you think are not relevant and add new web pages that are missing from Google's results. These changes are saved in your Google account and only influence your results. For now, the users who see the experimental feature are randomly selected.
These new personalization options can be partly recreated using a custom search engine. You can build a custom search engine for the entire web, that should include all the sites from Google's index. Every time you find web pages or web sites that are not very useful, but have good rankings, you can edit the search engine and them to the exclusion list.
To promote search results, check this option in the custom search engine's settings: "Add my Subscribed Link to this Custom Search Engine". Then create subscribed links for some of the terms you search often. Alternatively, you could use Google Spreadsheets to define a list of subscribed links. The subscribed links are also included if you use Google's standard search engine, but they're displayed after the third search result.
The custom search engine lacks the user interface options from Google's experimental feature, but it's a pretty powerful way to customize your search experience.
Useful links:
Manage your custom search engines
Manage your subscribed links
{ First screenshot, by Nimish. }
Yahoo to Support OpenSocial
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZaGO7GjCqAI/R-kYC-pQuqI/AAAAAAAAIPY/UhdG9sXMsFA/s640/opensocial-logo.jpg
Yahoo seems to be all about openness lately (Open Search, support for OpenID), so the announcement that the company intends to support Google's OpenSocial initiative shouldn't surprise anyone. OpenSocial is an API for writing social applications that work across multiple sites and many social networks started to work on implementing it: MySpace, hi5, orkut. From Yahoo's blog:
Yahoo! has always been about helping users find and share information online, and we love giving our broad and loyal developer community the tools they need to keep innovating on this front. Their echo our passion for creating the best Web experience for our users.
In this same spirit, we announced today that we’ve joined forces with Google and MySpace to create the OpenSocial Foundation, and will also begin supporting the OpenSocial standard. Industry consortiums such as this often start slowly and evolve over time. So far, OpenSocial is rapidly growing and adapting, but still in the early stages. We feel that this is the right step at this stage in its evolution. It’s no longer a trial balloon â€" it’s for real. We are taking this opportunity to help ensure websites and developers feel confident using OpenSocial as the building blocks for their new social apps.
OpenSocial Foundation has a web site that uses the recently launched Google Sites. The foundation will make OpenSocial more neutral and closer to becoming a web standard. According to a press release, "the OpenSocial Foundation will be an independent non-profit entity with a formal intellectual property and governance framework; related assets will be assigned to the new organization by July 1, 2008. The foundation will provide transparency and operational guidelines around technology, documentation, intellectual property, and other issues related to the evolution of the OpenSocial platform."
Two weeks ago, MySpace launched a gallery for OpenSocial apps, hi5 will officially open its platform on March 31st, while orkut has delayed the launch. Hopefully, this is the first step from a bigger initiative of making social networks more open and less self-centered.
Yahoo seems to be all about openness lately (Open Search, support for OpenID), so the announcement that the company intends to support Google's OpenSocial initiative shouldn't surprise anyone. OpenSocial is an API for writing social applications that work across multiple sites and many social networks started to work on implementing it: MySpace, hi5, orkut. From Yahoo's blog:
Yahoo! has always been about helping users find and share information online, and we love giving our broad and loyal developer community the tools they need to keep innovating on this front. Their echo our passion for creating the best Web experience for our users.
In this same spirit, we announced today that we’ve joined forces with Google and MySpace to create the OpenSocial Foundation, and will also begin supporting the OpenSocial standard. Industry consortiums such as this often start slowly and evolve over time. So far, OpenSocial is rapidly growing and adapting, but still in the early stages. We feel that this is the right step at this stage in its evolution. It’s no longer a trial balloon â€" it’s for real. We are taking this opportunity to help ensure websites and developers feel confident using OpenSocial as the building blocks for their new social apps.
OpenSocial Foundation has a web site that uses the recently launched Google Sites. The foundation will make OpenSocial more neutral and closer to becoming a web standard. According to a press release, "the OpenSocial Foundation will be an independent non-profit entity with a formal intellectual property and governance framework; related assets will be assigned to the new organization by July 1, 2008. The foundation will provide transparency and operational guidelines around technology, documentation, intellectual property, and other issues related to the evolution of the OpenSocial platform."
Two weeks ago, MySpace launched a gallery for OpenSocial apps, hi5 will officially open its platform on March 31st, while orkut has delayed the launch. Hopefully, this is the first step from a bigger initiative of making social networks more open and less self-centered.
Google to Add Language Translation in Gmail
ComputerWorld reports that Google intends to integrate its language translation service in Gmail and Google Talk. There are already bots that could facilitate an IM conversation with a person that speaks a language you don't know, but it would be much better to have the feature built in. Even if the translation is far from perfect and often incoherent, you'll understand the main ideas.
"What you need for real-time automated machine translation is large amounts of compute power, which we have, and large amounts of data, which we have. Imagine a system that can do on-the-fly translation of things like e-mail, documents and IM chat. That's a feature you can see on the horizon," said Google's Matt Glotzbach.
Apparently, Google is also developing tools for videoconferencing "to augment internal training programs and to serve as a hosted alternative to pricey videoconferencing software". Last year, Google acquired Marratech's video conferencing software.
In the past few years, Google started to preannounce features and services, but they were either released late or not released at all. We're still waiting for phone calls in Google Talk, tasks in Google Calendar, Gmail folders, Knol, Google Health.
Google Street View Gets a New Update
Google Street View added imagery for 13 more US cities and for the Yosemite National Park. The new cities are: Albuquerque, Anchorage, Austin, Cleveland, Fairbanks, Little Rock, Madison, Nashville, Rockford, Richmond, Spokane, St. Petersburg, Tampa. The total number of places where Street View is available has increased to 48 and it's likely that Google will add imagery from outside of the US in the near future.
View Larger Map
Street View can now be added to any Google Maps mashup since the API supports it. "The API allows you to embed one or multiple panoramas in any location on a site and move, remove, hide and unhide them as necessary. Panoramas can also be easily integrated with the rest of the Google Maps API to allow synchronization between the map and the panorama viewer," explains James McGill, from the Maps API team. And instead of posting screenshots, you can embed the full panoramic views by clicking on "Link to this page" and copying the HTML code in your site.
Google Docs Gets a Menu
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZaGO7GjCqAI/R-mlXOpQusI/AAAAAAAAIQA/kT1QzQh-axk/s640/google-docs-menu.png
After updating the toolbar, Google Docs replaced the tabbed interface with a traditional menu. The File menu looks cleaner and integrates the revision history, the Edit includes some of the options that are missing from the toolbar (cut/copy/paste) and also the HTML code editor. It's amazing to see that Find & Replace is still in alpha and doesn't work as advertised. The Insert menu has the same features as the homonymous tab, Format replaces the Styles dropdown, while Tools lets you select the document's language, check the spelling and read stats about the document. The Table menu was previously available as a contextual menu for tables and there's a new Share drop-down that integrates the options to share a page, publish it on the web and preview it.
Google Docs includes all the menus from Microsoft Word 2003, except for View, Window and Help, but there's enough room to add more menus in the future. The team's blog explains the changes by invoking a user study, but the truth is that most people are used to Microsoft Office's classic interface:
A while ago, our Docs User Research team worked on a "card-sort" study in which we disconnected all features in the application from the places we had put them in the UI, and asked some people what the labels and icons meant to them, and how they would group the concepts they represented. One of the things we found was that names such as File, Edit, Format, and Tools resonated as "where you might look" for certain editing features. Check spelling? Seems to fit in a "Tools" group to many people. Find and replace? People generally look for that in an "Edit" group.
These updates are only for the word processing application, as Google Spreadsheets and Presently continue to use the old interface. Having an unified interface and a set of features that work consistently in all the three applications should be a priority for Google.
After updating the toolbar, Google Docs replaced the tabbed interface with a traditional menu. The File menu looks cleaner and integrates the revision history, the Edit includes some of the options that are missing from the toolbar (cut/copy/paste) and also the HTML code editor. It's amazing to see that Find & Replace is still in alpha and doesn't work as advertised. The Insert menu has the same features as the homonymous tab, Format replaces the Styles dropdown, while Tools lets you select the document's language, check the spelling and read stats about the document. The Table menu was previously available as a contextual menu for tables and there's a new Share drop-down that integrates the options to share a page, publish it on the web and preview it.
Google Docs includes all the menus from Microsoft Word 2003, except for View, Window and Help, but there's enough room to add more menus in the future. The team's blog explains the changes by invoking a user study, but the truth is that most people are used to Microsoft Office's classic interface:
A while ago, our Docs User Research team worked on a "card-sort" study in which we disconnected all features in the application from the places we had put them in the UI, and asked some people what the labels and icons meant to them, and how they would group the concepts they represented. One of the things we found was that names such as File, Edit, Format, and Tools resonated as "where you might look" for certain editing features. Check spelling? Seems to fit in a "Tools" group to many people. Find and replace? People generally look for that in an "Edit" group.
These updates are only for the word processing application, as Google Spreadsheets and Presently continue to use the old interface. Having an unified interface and a set of features that work consistently in all the three applications should be a priority for Google.
Windows Mobile Face Contact Plugin Adds CoverFlow Contacts [Software]
CoverFlow may be only semi-useful on your Mac, but imagine what it would look like on a Windows Mobile phone. Actually useful! The Face Contact plugin, which sots $14.95, displays all your contact...
Earth Hour in Berlin: Open for Shopping
http://www.treehugger.com/brandenburger-tor-dark.jpg
While Toronto goes nuts for earth hour, lights go out down under and people and companies around the globe take an hour to remember the earth before electricity, the news in Berlin is: Shopping! Germany well deserves its reputation for significant activism in environmental matters. But the freedom of shopkeepers to sell their wares when customers want to buy them is the political action on the street in Berlin tonight. In a special periodic "Long Night of Shopping",...
While Toronto goes nuts for earth hour, lights go out down under and people and companies around the globe take an hour to remember the earth before electricity, the news in Berlin is: Shopping! Germany well deserves its reputation for significant activism in environmental matters. But the freedom of shopkeepers to sell their wares when customers want to buy them is the political action on the street in Berlin tonight. In a special periodic "Long Night of Shopping",...
Nintendo's Wii Wheel priced at $14.99
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-29-08-wii-wheel-price.jpg
We've known that Nintendo would be bundling a single Wii Wheel in with the forthcoming Mario Kart Wii title, but now it seems that folks riding shotgun (or riding your tail) can grab one of their own. According to a recently released flyer from GameStop, extra Wheels -- should the plethora of steering apparatuses already out there not suffice -- will be sold for a cool $14.99 each. April 27th just seems so, so far away, doesn't it? Check the flyer in full after the jump.
We've known that Nintendo would be bundling a single Wii Wheel in with the forthcoming Mario Kart Wii title, but now it seems that folks riding shotgun (or riding your tail) can grab one of their own. According to a recently released flyer from GameStop, extra Wheels -- should the plethora of steering apparatuses already out there not suffice -- will be sold for a cool $14.99 each. April 27th just seems so, so far away, doesn't it? Check the flyer in full after the jump.
Creative Presents Cease-and-Desist Note to Developer Hero [Corporate Greed]
After Vista's release, Creative's Audigy Sound Blaster series lost a lot of their in-built functionality. Developer, good-guy and all around hero, Daniel_K stepped up to the challenge, putting...
South Korean police aiming to equip all new handsets with GPS?
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/2008/03/3-29-08-s.korea.cellphone.jpg
Taking a note from Japan, it's being reported that South Korean police are backing a highly controversial plan that would equip each new mobile sold in the nation with a GPS chip. Reportedly, Song Kang-ho, chief of the investigation bureau of the National Police Agency, has stated that the government has "already submitted a related bill to the National Assembly," and the general idea here is to crack down on the rise of kidnapping and various other crimes against children and women. Granted, there's not a lot of supporting evidence that this is actually set to go down, so until we see it inked in stone, our skeptic hats are remaining in place.
Taking a note from Japan, it's being reported that South Korean police are backing a highly controversial plan that would equip each new mobile sold in the nation with a GPS chip. Reportedly, Song Kang-ho, chief of the investigation bureau of the National Police Agency, has stated that the government has "already submitted a related bill to the National Assembly," and the general idea here is to crack down on the rise of kidnapping and various other crimes against children and women. Granted, there's not a lot of supporting evidence that this is actually set to go down, so until we see it inked in stone, our skeptic hats are remaining in place.
Book Swap: A Greener Choice for Book-Lovers
http://www.treehugger.com/book-lending-2swap.jpg
After pointing out the bizarre, “eco-friendly†claims of businesses trying to rent college books to students via the internet, I recently came across a site which does, in fact, make eco-sense.It’s not geared specifically towards college books, but it enables book-lovers everywhere to swap theirs with other members of the 2Swap community just by paying the postage to mail out a book from their collection that they no longer need....
After pointing out the bizarre, “eco-friendly†claims of businesses trying to rent college books to students via the internet, I recently came across a site which does, in fact, make eco-sense.It’s not geared specifically towards college books, but it enables book-lovers everywhere to swap theirs with other members of the 2Swap community just by paying the postage to mail out a book from their collection that they no longer need....
Linux becomes only OS to escape PWN 2 OWN unscathed
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-29-08-shane-macaulay.jpg
After a week full of Red Bulls, Fruit by the Foot and dreams of In-N-Out, the mighty Sony VAIO loaded with Linux stood as the only machine unhacked by the end of the PWN 2 OWN hacking contest at CanSecWest. As you're well aware by now, the MacBook Air on display was seized in two minutes by the presumably well prepared Charlie Miller, and after two full days of work, Shane Macaulay and a few of his 1337 associates managed to crack the Vista rig on Friday. Reportedly, Shane and his pals weren't expecting to do battle with the extra protected SP1 version of Vista, and while the exact loophole won't be divulged, we are told that it was a cross-platform bug that "took advantage of Java to circumvent Vista's security." In the end, it was reported that some folks on hand had discovered bugs in the Linux OS, but many of them "didn't want to put the work into developing the exploit code that would be required to win the contest."
After a week full of Red Bulls, Fruit by the Foot and dreams of In-N-Out, the mighty Sony VAIO loaded with Linux stood as the only machine unhacked by the end of the PWN 2 OWN hacking contest at CanSecWest. As you're well aware by now, the MacBook Air on display was seized in two minutes by the presumably well prepared Charlie Miller, and after two full days of work, Shane Macaulay and a few of his 1337 associates managed to crack the Vista rig on Friday. Reportedly, Shane and his pals weren't expecting to do battle with the extra protected SP1 version of Vista, and while the exact loophole won't be divulged, we are told that it was a cross-platform bug that "took advantage of Java to circumvent Vista's security." In the end, it was reported that some folks on hand had discovered bugs in the Linux OS, but many of them "didn't want to put the work into developing the exploit code that would be required to win the contest."
Underwater Camera Rig Brings Upskirts to the Swimming Pool [Digital Cameras]
Alain Bernard of France broke a record last week when he swam the 100m freestyle in 47.60 seconds at the European Swimming Championships. At the same time, underwater photographer Wolfgang Rattay...
Lights Go Dark Down Under
http://www.treehugger.com/lights-go-dark.jpg
First shots of Sydney with the lights out, lower picture. Not as big a contrast to the picture above as I would have expected.....If there is one reason why Toronto went so nutso over Earth Hour, it is due to the unwavering support and continuous promotion by the Toronto Star. The Saturday Star (our big paper of the week, because historically papers did not print on Sunday in Canada) is wall-to-wall Earth Hour, from the food to the entertainment to even the wheels section. They really do deserve congratulations for this incredible effort at increasing awareness of environmental issues. See their...
First shots of Sydney with the lights out, lower picture. Not as big a contrast to the picture above as I would have expected.....If there is one reason why Toronto went so nutso over Earth Hour, it is due to the unwavering support and continuous promotion by the Toronto Star. The Saturday Star (our big paper of the week, because historically papers did not print on Sunday in Canada) is wall-to-wall Earth Hour, from the food to the entertainment to even the wheels section. They really do deserve congratulations for this incredible effort at increasing awareness of environmental issues. See their...
Hawking Technologies Wireless-300N USB Adapter
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/hawking-300n.jpg
Wireless networking compatibility with any Mac OS X 10.3 and up (Intel or Power PC) system2 Upgradable Antennas allow for better wireless range and performance optionsInstalls in seconds with intuitive, easy-to-follow Setup WizardSupports WPA2, WPA, and WEP wireless securityPlug-and-Play compatibility with all Hawking Hi-Gain WiFi Range Extending AntennasLatest 802.11n technology delivers wireless data transfer speeds of up to 300MbpsProduct Page
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Hawking's Sumpreme Wi-Fi Range ExtenderWiFi Dish boosts your signal by 300 percentIOGear announces Wireless USB CardBus AdapterThe End of Driver Discs?Kleer's iPod Nano Adapter gives you wireless audioHawking Technologies has released its Wireless-300N USB Adapter with Upgradeable Antennas, targeting Mac users specifically in order to provide significant range extension options. Suitable for small office/home office (SOHO) and small-to-medium business (SMB) users, the new compact 802.11n 300Mbps USB Adapter known as the HWUN1A has the distinction of being the first such adapter designed for Apple Mac users that features a couple of two removable antennas. The included external antennas are easily removed and can receive an upgrade in the form of a Hawking Hi-Gain antenna for superior improvement when it comes to its wireless range.
According to Daniel Chan, Associate Product Manager at Hawking Technologies, “The problem with wireless networks these days isn’t the speed, but the distance. If your wireless adapter does not have the wireless strength to go the distance, your network speed won’t make any difference. You’ll either end up with a weak signal or get dropped from your network entirely, and that results in slow file transfers and a lack of mobility. Like its sister product, the HWUN1 for PC users, the HWUN1A provides Mac users with the extended wireless range they need by utilizing new Wireless-N technology. The removable antennas give Mac users the ability to customize their wireless networks for their specific applications. Most importantly, the HWUN1A can resolve most WiFi trouble spot scenarios by allowing users to choose from our full line of Hi-Gain WiFi Range Extending solutions. And the best part: installing the HWUN1A is easy â€" just pop in the CD to install the software, plug in the adapter, and you’re connected.”
Some of the key features of the HWUN1A include :-
Wireless networking compatibility with any Mac OS X 10.3 and up (Intel or Power PC) system2 Upgradable Antennas allow for better wireless range and performance optionsInstalls in seconds with intuitive, easy-to-follow Setup WizardSupports WPA2, WPA, and WEP wireless securityPlug-and-Play compatibility with all Hawking Hi-Gain WiFi Range Extending AntennasLatest 802.11n technology delivers wireless data transfer speeds of up to 300MbpsProduct Page
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Hawking's Sumpreme Wi-Fi Range ExtenderWiFi Dish boosts your signal by 300 percentIOGear announces Wireless USB CardBus AdapterThe End of Driver Discs?Kleer's iPod Nano Adapter gives you wireless audio
Wireless networking compatibility with any Mac OS X 10.3 and up (Intel or Power PC) system2 Upgradable Antennas allow for better wireless range and performance optionsInstalls in seconds with intuitive, easy-to-follow Setup WizardSupports WPA2, WPA, and WEP wireless securityPlug-and-Play compatibility with all Hawking Hi-Gain WiFi Range Extending AntennasLatest 802.11n technology delivers wireless data transfer speeds of up to 300MbpsProduct Page
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Hawking's Sumpreme Wi-Fi Range ExtenderWiFi Dish boosts your signal by 300 percentIOGear announces Wireless USB CardBus AdapterThe End of Driver Discs?Kleer's iPod Nano Adapter gives you wireless audioHawking Technologies has released its Wireless-300N USB Adapter with Upgradeable Antennas, targeting Mac users specifically in order to provide significant range extension options. Suitable for small office/home office (SOHO) and small-to-medium business (SMB) users, the new compact 802.11n 300Mbps USB Adapter known as the HWUN1A has the distinction of being the first such adapter designed for Apple Mac users that features a couple of two removable antennas. The included external antennas are easily removed and can receive an upgrade in the form of a Hawking Hi-Gain antenna for superior improvement when it comes to its wireless range.
According to Daniel Chan, Associate Product Manager at Hawking Technologies, “The problem with wireless networks these days isn’t the speed, but the distance. If your wireless adapter does not have the wireless strength to go the distance, your network speed won’t make any difference. You’ll either end up with a weak signal or get dropped from your network entirely, and that results in slow file transfers and a lack of mobility. Like its sister product, the HWUN1 for PC users, the HWUN1A provides Mac users with the extended wireless range they need by utilizing new Wireless-N technology. The removable antennas give Mac users the ability to customize their wireless networks for their specific applications. Most importantly, the HWUN1A can resolve most WiFi trouble spot scenarios by allowing users to choose from our full line of Hi-Gain WiFi Range Extending solutions. And the best part: installing the HWUN1A is easy â€" just pop in the CD to install the software, plug in the adapter, and you’re connected.”
Some of the key features of the HWUN1A include :-
Wireless networking compatibility with any Mac OS X 10.3 and up (Intel or Power PC) system2 Upgradable Antennas allow for better wireless range and performance optionsInstalls in seconds with intuitive, easy-to-follow Setup WizardSupports WPA2, WPA, and WEP wireless securityPlug-and-Play compatibility with all Hawking Hi-Gain WiFi Range Extending AntennasLatest 802.11n technology delivers wireless data transfer speeds of up to 300MbpsProduct Page
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Hawking's Sumpreme Wi-Fi Range ExtenderWiFi Dish boosts your signal by 300 percentIOGear announces Wireless USB CardBus AdapterThe End of Driver Discs?Kleer's iPod Nano Adapter gives you wireless audio
Drought Around The World: Atlanta In Perspective
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It's been raining a bit in the US Southeast, adding a few feet of depth to Atlanta Georgia's severely depleted drinking water reservoir, Lake Lanier, and pulling the region out of the very worst drought category. Every little bit helps. But this is no time for Georgians to let their guard down: drought can trigger cultural apocalypse.On Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, the water picture is very bleak.Cyprus on Monday ordered emergency water rationing and imports from Greece to cope with a growing shortage exacerbated ...
It's been raining a bit in the US Southeast, adding a few feet of depth to Atlanta Georgia's severely depleted drinking water reservoir, Lake Lanier, and pulling the region out of the very worst drought category. Every little bit helps. But this is no time for Georgians to let their guard down: drought can trigger cultural apocalypse.On Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, the water picture is very bleak.Cyprus on Monday ordered emergency water rationing and imports from Greece to cope with a growing shortage exacerbated ...
RC Garbage Truck, Dream Big Kids… Dream Big
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By Andrew Liszewski I don't mean to demean my local refuse pickupprofessionals. In fact, most people don't realize how important their jobsreally are. (And they probably have a great union.) But is this remote controlgarbage truck the best way to a foster a child's mind? Sure it's a prettyaccurate 1:32 scale model
By Andrew Liszewski
I don’t mean to demean my local refuse pickup professionals. In fact, most people don’t realize how important their jobs really are. (And they probably have a great union.) But is this remote control garbage truck the best way to a foster a child’s mind? Sure it’s a pretty accurate 1:32 scale model of a Peterbilt 379, but quite frankly I’d be a bit worried if my kid spent their childhood driving this thing around the house making scheduled stops at every room.
It’s 13.5 inches long, features opening cab doors and a fully-functioning refuse container in the back. It also includes a 7-function wireless remote, though I don’t think I’ve ever considered ’stop’ to be an actual function. Why not call it an 8-function remote since I’m sure it can idle too? You can find it at Diecast Model Car Collectibles for $29.98.
VIA
Toys, Unusual
By Andrew Liszewski I don't mean to demean my local refuse pickupprofessionals. In fact, most people don't realize how important their jobsreally are. (And they probably have a great union.) But is this remote controlgarbage truck the best way to a foster a child's mind? Sure it's a prettyaccurate 1:32 scale model
By Andrew Liszewski
I don’t mean to demean my local refuse pickup professionals. In fact, most people don’t realize how important their jobs really are. (And they probably have a great union.) But is this remote control garbage truck the best way to a foster a child’s mind? Sure it’s a pretty accurate 1:32 scale model of a Peterbilt 379, but quite frankly I’d be a bit worried if my kid spent their childhood driving this thing around the house making scheduled stops at every room.
It’s 13.5 inches long, features opening cab doors and a fully-functioning refuse container in the back. It also includes a 7-function wireless remote, though I don’t think I’ve ever considered ’stop’ to be an actual function. Why not call it an 8-function remote since I’m sure it can idle too? You can find it at Diecast Model Car Collectibles for $29.98.
VIA
Toys, Unusual
Dell Inspiron 1525 dives into Blu-ray market
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Press Release
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Dell Inspiron 1525 Offers A Lot Of Bang For The BuckDell to sell computers at Best Buy storesDell aims for Energy Star 4.0 Consumer Desktop30-inch Dell WhopperDell ceases online sales of AMD-based PCsGoodbye HD DVD, hello Blu-ray. Standalone Blu-ray players used to cost a bomb (some of them still do, which was what made the Sony PS3 all the more attractive if you were looking for a firmware upgradeable Blu-ray player instead of a gaming machine first), and laptops that came with Blu-ray drives actually required you to sell off a kidney in order to own one. With the pseudo format wars behind them and Blu-ray emerging the victor in their tussle with Toshiba’s HD DVD, it is easier for companies to make a commitment as to include the winning format’s technology into their products. Take Dell, for example. This Texan computer giant has finally taken the plunge in the world of High Definition, offering a Blu-ray laptop that does not break the bank - retailing below the magical $1,000 mark. The laptop in question is the Inspiron 1525, featuring an optional Blu-ray optical drive with prices starting from $879 upwards.
Getting a Blu-ray optical drive doesn’t mean you have to start purchasing all your DVDs over again in the new format, as this optical drive is fully backwards compatible and boasts the ability to make backups onto standard DVDs and CDs if the need arises. There is also an option to purchase the Inspiron 1525 with a Blu-ray burner drive, although that will set you back by quite a fair bit - but think about the benefits from owning such a drive, you will be able to store way more data on a single Blu-ray drive (50GB) compared to a standard DVD which holds 8.5GB of data at most.
Other features of the Dell Inspiron 1525 include a 15.4″ high definition wide aspect display at 720p resolution, an HDMI port for convenient connectivity to HDTVs and other high resolution displays, an integrated graphics card and a built-in dedicated accelerator to help out in high definition video playback. You can choose from Chill, Blossom and Commotion designs, or from Sunshine Yellow, Midnight Blue and Ruby Red colors.
Press Release
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Dell Inspiron 1525 Offers A Lot Of Bang For The BuckDell to sell computers at Best Buy storesDell aims for Energy Star 4.0 Consumer Desktop30-inch Dell WhopperDell ceases online sales of AMD-based PCs
Press Release
Like Coolest Gadgets, check out our sister site Coolest Reviews for unbiased and hands on tech reviews.
Related Posts:Dell Inspiron 1525 Offers A Lot Of Bang For The BuckDell to sell computers at Best Buy storesDell aims for Energy Star 4.0 Consumer Desktop30-inch Dell WhopperDell ceases online sales of AMD-based PCsGoodbye HD DVD, hello Blu-ray. Standalone Blu-ray players used to cost a bomb (some of them still do, which was what made the Sony PS3 all the more attractive if you were looking for a firmware upgradeable Blu-ray player instead of a gaming machine first), and laptops that came with Blu-ray drives actually required you to sell off a kidney in order to own one. With the pseudo format wars behind them and Blu-ray emerging the victor in their tussle with Toshiba’s HD DVD, it is easier for companies to make a commitment as to include the winning format’s technology into their products. Take Dell, for example. This Texan computer giant has finally taken the plunge in the world of High Definition, offering a Blu-ray laptop that does not break the bank - retailing below the magical $1,000 mark. The laptop in question is the Inspiron 1525, featuring an optional Blu-ray optical drive with prices starting from $879 upwards.
Getting a Blu-ray optical drive doesn’t mean you have to start purchasing all your DVDs over again in the new format, as this optical drive is fully backwards compatible and boasts the ability to make backups onto standard DVDs and CDs if the need arises. There is also an option to purchase the Inspiron 1525 with a Blu-ray burner drive, although that will set you back by quite a fair bit - but think about the benefits from owning such a drive, you will be able to store way more data on a single Blu-ray drive (50GB) compared to a standard DVD which holds 8.5GB of data at most.
Other features of the Dell Inspiron 1525 include a 15.4″ high definition wide aspect display at 720p resolution, an HDMI port for convenient connectivity to HDTVs and other high resolution displays, an integrated graphics card and a built-in dedicated accelerator to help out in high definition video playback. You can choose from Chill, Blossom and Commotion designs, or from Sunshine Yellow, Midnight Blue and Ruby Red colors.
Press Release
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:Dell Inspiron 1525 Offers A Lot Of Bang For The BuckDell to sell computers at Best Buy storesDell aims for Energy Star 4.0 Consumer Desktop30-inch Dell WhopperDell ceases online sales of AMD-based PCs
USB Star Hub II
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The USB Star Hub II retails for $12 a pop.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:The Star Wars Bar SetDeformed Star Wars plushies debutUltimate Bookends for ALL Star Wars FansStar Wars Lego watchesThe Force Is Strong With Your Poker Chips
USB devices are dime a dozen these days, and it can get pretty tricky trying to get all of them hooked up to your computer or notebook which has extremely limited USB ports. If you happen to want a USB port of sorts, why not consider the USB Star Hub II? Here’s the product description, in completely broken English (I’ve left it unedited to contribute to the quirkiness of the entire device).
USB Star Hub II allows you to connect 4 different USB devices at the same time. Each port can turn 180° that make you more convenience to use and the colourful design can help to decorate your desk.
The USB Star Hub II retails for $12 a pop.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:The Star Wars Bar SetDeformed Star Wars plushies debutUltimate Bookends for ALL Star Wars FansStar Wars Lego watchesThe Force Is Strong With Your Poker Chips
The USB Star Hub II retails for $12 a pop.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:The Star Wars Bar SetDeformed Star Wars plushies debutUltimate Bookends for ALL Star Wars FansStar Wars Lego watchesThe Force Is Strong With Your Poker Chips
USB devices are dime a dozen these days, and it can get pretty tricky trying to get all of them hooked up to your computer or notebook which has extremely limited USB ports. If you happen to want a USB port of sorts, why not consider the USB Star Hub II? Here’s the product description, in completely broken English (I’ve left it unedited to contribute to the quirkiness of the entire device).
USB Star Hub II allows you to connect 4 different USB devices at the same time. Each port can turn 180° that make you more convenience to use and the colourful design can help to decorate your desk.
The USB Star Hub II retails for $12 a pop.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:The Star Wars Bar SetDeformed Star Wars plushies debutUltimate Bookends for ALL Star Wars FansStar Wars Lego watchesThe Force Is Strong With Your Poker Chips
Nike Dunk SB Low X Tiffany Diamond Supply Co. - Original Samples
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Anybody who is familiar with Nike’s skateboarding line must know about the Nike Dunk SB Low Tiffany, one of their most sought after releases. Up till now, everyone thought what was officially sold as the Nike x Diamond Supply Co. collaboration Dunk SB Low was the original design. However, pictures of the original sample have
Anybody who is familiar with Nike’s skateboarding line must know about the Nike Dunk SB Low Tiffany, one of their most sought after releases. Up till now, everyone thought what was officially sold as the Nike x Diamond Supply Co. collaboration Dunk SB Low was the original design.
However, pictures of the original sample have been released of the Nike Dunk SB Low Tiffany via Nick Tershay of Diamond Supply Co. His quote surrounding the design process of the collaboration shoe can be read after the jump along with another picture. Via NSB.
“I just happened to have the dunks on my desk because I just took that pic of them for a Japanese Magazine earlier today. I will probably never wear them because I feel funny wearing my own shoe after it was so Hyped. Figured I might as well give them away since I have another pair.
Here is a little history of the shoe design.
When I first created the Diamond Dunk I just submitted the colors to Nike and they came back like this.â€
Anybody who is familiar with Nike’s skateboarding line must know about the Nike Dunk SB Low Tiffany, one of their most sought after releases. Up till now, everyone thought what was officially sold as the Nike x Diamond Supply Co. collaboration Dunk SB Low was the original design. However, pictures of the original sample have
Anybody who is familiar with Nike’s skateboarding line must know about the Nike Dunk SB Low Tiffany, one of their most sought after releases. Up till now, everyone thought what was officially sold as the Nike x Diamond Supply Co. collaboration Dunk SB Low was the original design.
However, pictures of the original sample have been released of the Nike Dunk SB Low Tiffany via Nick Tershay of Diamond Supply Co. His quote surrounding the design process of the collaboration shoe can be read after the jump along with another picture. Via NSB.
“I just happened to have the dunks on my desk because I just took that pic of them for a Japanese Magazine earlier today. I will probably never wear them because I feel funny wearing my own shoe after it was so Hyped. Figured I might as well give them away since I have another pair.
Here is a little history of the shoe design.
When I first created the Diamond Dunk I just submitted the colors to Nike and they came back like this.â€
Nike Vandal High Supreme Tier 0 - Black
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/tier0vandalhighsupreme.jpg
Nike has already scheduled to release the Vintage Supreme Vandal Highs later this year and have successfully increased the production of Supreme and Tier 0 models. Pictured above, is one of the Supreme Vandal Highs that will be released at Tier 0. Featured, is a simple Black upper with what looks to be a Metallic
Nike has already scheduled to release the Vintage Supreme Vandal Highs later this year and have successfully increased the production of Supreme and Tier 0 models. Pictured above, is one of the Supreme Vandal Highs that will be released at Tier 0.
Featured, is a simple Black upper with what looks to be a Metallic Black swoosh. The strap is stripped with Blue, Grey and Green. This Vandal High Supreme is nothing something to get too excited about, but it is is always nice to see Nike coming out with something different than Air Max’s, Air Force1’s and Dunks. This Nike Vandal High will be released May 4th, 2008 at Nort Berlin.
Nike has already scheduled to release the Vintage Supreme Vandal Highs later this year and have successfully increased the production of Supreme and Tier 0 models. Pictured above, is one of the Supreme Vandal Highs that will be released at Tier 0. Featured, is a simple Black upper with what looks to be a Metallic
Nike has already scheduled to release the Vintage Supreme Vandal Highs later this year and have successfully increased the production of Supreme and Tier 0 models. Pictured above, is one of the Supreme Vandal Highs that will be released at Tier 0.
Featured, is a simple Black upper with what looks to be a Metallic Black swoosh. The strap is stripped with Blue, Grey and Green. This Vandal High Supreme is nothing something to get too excited about, but it is is always nice to see Nike coming out with something different than Air Max’s, Air Force1’s and Dunks. This Nike Vandal High will be released May 4th, 2008 at Nort Berlin.
Nike Air Force 1 - Air Talaria Inspired Detailed Look
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/talariaairforce1.jpg
The Nike Air Talaria inspired Air Force 1 has officially released and has made its way to online retailers. This is one of many of the Air Force 1’s that have been inspired by past classic Air Max models and color-ways. Notables include the Air Talaria color-way, materials, mid-sole, sole and accenting borders. The Air
The Nike Air Talaria inspired Air Force 1 has officially released and has made its way to online retailers. This is one of many of the Air Force 1’s that have been inspired by past classic Air Max models and color-ways.
Notables include the Air Talaria color-way, materials, mid-sole, sole and accenting borders. The Air Max inspired Air Force 1’s has been causing some controversy, but what is undeniable is the solid executing Nike used for the release of the few inspired models. Available now at BNYCOnline.
The Nike Air Talaria inspired Air Force 1 has officially released and has made its way to online retailers. This is one of many of the Air Force 1’s that have been inspired by past classic Air Max models and color-ways. Notables include the Air Talaria color-way, materials, mid-sole, sole and accenting borders. The Air
The Nike Air Talaria inspired Air Force 1 has officially released and has made its way to online retailers. This is one of many of the Air Force 1’s that have been inspired by past classic Air Max models and color-ways.
Notables include the Air Talaria color-way, materials, mid-sole, sole and accenting borders. The Air Max inspired Air Force 1’s has been causing some controversy, but what is undeniable is the solid executing Nike used for the release of the few inspired models. Available now at BNYCOnline.
Pony x PPG City Wings Low
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ponyppgwings.jpg
Pony collaborated with PPG Industries on one of their classic models, the City Wings Low. PPG Industries is a international supplier of paints and coating and have contributed their 60,000 finishes for Pony to pick from. The use premium colors and finishes will definitely enhance the appear of the City Wings Low and will produce
Pony collaborated with PPG Industries on one of their classic models, the City Wings Low. PPG Industries is a international supplier of paints and coating and have contributed their 60,000 finishes for Pony to pick from.
The use premium colors and finishes will definitely enhance the appear of the City Wings Low and will produce an updated look toward the classics. The Pony x PPG City Wings Lo is slated to be released April 1st, 2008. Via Complex.
Pony collaborated with PPG Industries on one of their classic models, the City Wings Low. PPG Industries is a international supplier of paints and coating and have contributed their 60,000 finishes for Pony to pick from. The use premium colors and finishes will definitely enhance the appear of the City Wings Low and will produce
Pony collaborated with PPG Industries on one of their classic models, the City Wings Low. PPG Industries is a international supplier of paints and coating and have contributed their 60,000 finishes for Pony to pick from.
The use premium colors and finishes will definitely enhance the appear of the City Wings Low and will produce an updated look toward the classics. The Pony x PPG City Wings Lo is slated to be released April 1st, 2008. Via Complex.
Reebok Pump Court Victory Dual Low “White/Royal/Green†@ Purchaze
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/reebok_court_victory_wgb01.jpg
Purchaze received the Reebok Pump Court Victory Dual Low “White/Royal/Green”.Features leather toe box, premium materials and mesh accents, classic shape and matching midsole. Reebok introduced the “Pump” technology in 1989. It provides the ultimate in a custom fit and support system. The honeycomb is one of the strongest yet lightest shapes found in nature. With
Purchaze received the
Reebok Pump Court Victory Dual Low “White/Royal/Green”.
Features leather toe box, premium materials and mesh accents, classic shape and matching midsole. Reebok introduced the “Pump” technology in 1989. It provides the ultimate in a custom fit and support system. The honeycomb is one of the strongest yet lightest shapes found in nature. With modification, it was the theory behind the development of Reebok´s Hexalite technology.
Purchaze received the Reebok Pump Court Victory Dual Low “White/Royal/Green”.Features leather toe box, premium materials and mesh accents, classic shape and matching midsole. Reebok introduced the “Pump” technology in 1989. It provides the ultimate in a custom fit and support system. The honeycomb is one of the strongest yet lightest shapes found in nature. With
Purchaze received the
Reebok Pump Court Victory Dual Low “White/Royal/Green”.
Features leather toe box, premium materials and mesh accents, classic shape and matching midsole. Reebok introduced the “Pump” technology in 1989. It provides the ultimate in a custom fit and support system. The honeycomb is one of the strongest yet lightest shapes found in nature. With modification, it was the theory behind the development of Reebok´s Hexalite technology.
ASUS Eee PC desktop finally revealed?
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/eee-pc-desktop.jpg
We've all been waiting to see what ASUS's Eee PC desktop would turn out to look like, and HotHardware is claiming these shots are the real deal. Yeah, we know, it's a bit reminiscent of a certain motion-sensing game console, but besides these kind of grainy photos we've still got almost nothing to go by. Yet!
We've all been waiting to see what ASUS's Eee PC desktop would turn out to look like, and HotHardware is claiming these shots are the real deal. Yeah, we know, it's a bit reminiscent of a certain motion-sensing game console, but besides these kind of grainy photos we've still got almost nothing to go by. Yet!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Expandable Dining Table Flexes For Your Pleasure
http://www.treehugger.com/draenert-table-poggenpohl.jpg
TreeHugger has seen its fair share of transforming tables, but in our quest for objects that allows us to get more from less, this one offers a new trick. Rather than folding down or folding up (?), this one splits right down the middle, adding surface area and increasing capacity. Two rolling carts slide into either side, offering a spot for storage and serving. When the table is closed, they roll off into the corner and out of the way. Smart.We aren't sure if ...
TreeHugger has seen its fair share of transforming tables, but in our quest for objects that allows us to get more from less, this one offers a new trick. Rather than folding down or folding up (?), this one splits right down the middle, adding surface area and increasing capacity. Two rolling carts slide into either side, offering a spot for storage and serving. When the table is closed, they roll off into the corner and out of the way. Smart.We aren't sure if ...
HP Media Vault 2100 Linux Server Reviewed: One Kick-Ass Little Penguin [Review]
Why, in the midst of a major Windows Home Server push, would HP introduce a little Linux-based NAS at half the price? And why would HP make the $300 Media Vault mv2120 so full featured and easy that...
HD DVD Promotion Group officially dissolves in a high-res burst of tears
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-28-08-hddvd-sm2.jpg
Well, it's no surprise that it was going to happen, but the HD DVD Promotion Group officially dissolved today, leaving behind nothing but this terse message directing us to individual "selling agencies." And so, with literally nothing left of HD DVD, we formally close the sad chapter of consumer electronics history known as the HD Format War, remembering those times when HD DVD rode high, with low prices, more features and less restrictive rights management as its rallying cries, and the rantings of Michael Bay still only the delusional fantasies of a fool. May the resistance live on, and our PS3s always be reminded of a time when their ascension was not guaranteed. Red's dead, baby.
Well, it's no surprise that it was going to happen, but the HD DVD Promotion Group officially dissolved today, leaving behind nothing but this terse message directing us to individual "selling agencies." And so, with literally nothing left of HD DVD, we formally close the sad chapter of consumer electronics history known as the HD Format War, remembering those times when HD DVD rode high, with low prices, more features and less restrictive rights management as its rallying cries, and the rantings of Michael Bay still only the delusional fantasies of a fool. May the resistance live on, and our PS3s always be reminded of a time when their ascension was not guaranteed. Red's dead, baby.
Earth Hour Wants All The Lights Off, But We Want Them On [EcoModo]
Those tofu-loving nutjobs over at the WWF (no, not that one) are planning another Earth Hour on Saturday night, where the world shuts off all their lights and electronics from 8-9 pm. We're supposed...
How to Green Your Funeral
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Photo credit: iStockPhotoWhat’s the Big Deal?Worldwide, more than 50,000,000 people pass away each year. Traditional burial and cremation practices can have significant negative environmental impact, but green funerals and eco-burials are one way to lessen the impact. While death can be a difficult subject, keeping ethical beliefs and environmental convictions in mind while tending to end-of-life arrangements can create a meaningful send-off--not to mention a lower-impact one. After all, if you gotta go, why not go green?...
Photo credit: iStockPhotoWhat’s the Big Deal?Worldwide, more than 50,000,000 people pass away each year. Traditional burial and cremation practices can have significant negative environmental impact, but green funerals and eco-burials are one way to lessen the impact. While death can be a difficult subject, keeping ethical beliefs and environmental convictions in mind while tending to end-of-life arrangements can create a meaningful send-off--not to mention a lower-impact one. After all, if you gotta go, why not go green?...
CNC Adjustable Rocking Chair Let's You Choose How to Rock
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Designer Hongtao Zhou just wants to know one thing: "How do you like to rock?" Thanks to the efficiency of his chosen manufacturing method -- a computer numerically-controlled (CNC) router, which creates (theoretically -- unless you feed it fuzzy facts) perfect cuts every time -- and his smart design, this slick rocking prototype quickly and easily adjusts seat height and "angle of rock" to your rocking preference.A Ph.D Candidate in Furniture Design and Manufacturing in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, Zhou has done his homework on this prototype; it consists of just six p...
Designer Hongtao Zhou just wants to know one thing: "How do you like to rock?" Thanks to the efficiency of his chosen manufacturing method -- a computer numerically-controlled (CNC) router, which creates (theoretically -- unless you feed it fuzzy facts) perfect cuts every time -- and his smart design, this slick rocking prototype quickly and easily adjusts seat height and "angle of rock" to your rocking preference.A Ph.D Candidate in Furniture Design and Manufacturing in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, Zhou has done his homework on this prototype; it consists of just six p...
Survey: Have You Signed Up For Earth Hour?
http://www.treehugger.com/earth-hour-survey.jpg
Lots of people are doing it, even in the blasé USA, which should be thoroughly embarrassed that Australia and Canada have ten times the participation rate. It is the one hour statement about climate change, happening Saturday night local time around the world. Even if your city isn't in the program, you can sign up and do it yourself. In America go to Earthhour US; Canadians at wwf/earthhour and the rest of the world should try earthhour.org.. What's keeping you?
Lots of people are doing it, even in the blasé USA, which should be thoroughly embarrassed that Australia and Canada have ten times the participation rate. It is the one hour statement about climate change, happening Saturday night local time around the world. Even if your city isn't in the program, you can sign up and do it yourself. In America go to Earthhour US; Canadians at wwf/earthhour and the rest of the world should try earthhour.org.. What's keeping you?
D-Link DSM-750 wireless Media Center Extender finally shipping
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-28-08-dsm-750.jpg
We first saw D-Link's DSM-750 MediaLounge Wireless Media Player at CES way back in 2007, and the company "officially" launched the 802.11n unit in September of that year -- but the scheduled November 2007 retail date came and went, and the four of you queuing up to drop $349 on an unheralded Media Center extender were left to sadly contemplate the crushing banality of your existence. Well, buck up, boy-o, because it looks like D-Link's realized that it's actually supposed to sell the DSM-750, and it's also gone and dropped the price down a whole $20, to $329. Sure, you can operate the thing in either MCE or MediaLounge mode, but you're still limited to 1080i output (even over HDMI), and at that price, it's pretty hard to see why you wouldn't just nab an Xbox 360 Arcade to do the same thing -- you're getting far more functionality for the money, even if you have to spring for wireless and the remote. Still, we're glad this thing is finally here -- those four dudes were getting awfully weepy.
We first saw D-Link's DSM-750 MediaLounge Wireless Media Player at CES way back in 2007, and the company "officially" launched the 802.11n unit in September of that year -- but the scheduled November 2007 retail date came and went, and the four of you queuing up to drop $349 on an unheralded Media Center extender were left to sadly contemplate the crushing banality of your existence. Well, buck up, boy-o, because it looks like D-Link's realized that it's actually supposed to sell the DSM-750, and it's also gone and dropped the price down a whole $20, to $329. Sure, you can operate the thing in either MCE or MediaLounge mode, but you're still limited to 1080i output (even over HDMI), and at that price, it's pretty hard to see why you wouldn't just nab an Xbox 360 Arcade to do the same thing -- you're getting far more functionality for the money, even if you have to spring for wireless and the remote. Still, we're glad this thing is finally here -- those four dudes were getting awfully weepy.
Japan's QR Codes Being Tested in SF [Qr Codes]
You know those QR codes that Japan has? The ones that look like fancy bar codes that you take a picture of with your cellphone that brings up some bit of info or trivia on the display. Those are...
Swiftboating Made Accessible via VoterVoter.com
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HTC Shift hands-on
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/htc-shift-hands-on-top.jpg
HTC's Shift finally launched in the US this week, and what do you know, we landed one to check out. Sure as hell ain't too shabby for a UMPC, but while it's got a number of things working in its favor (versatile form factor, solid hardware, lots of niceties like a fingerprint reader, 3G, Windows Mobile, etc.), it's got a number of bits working pretty hard against it. Some thoughts:
The screen hinge is significantly improved and feels really solid. Without putting it through 20,000 open / close cycles, we think it's fairly trustworthy, definitely good HTC gear.
The microscopic keyboard keys are an absolute nightmare to type on with two hands if you've got normal human mitts. Unfortunately, it's just too small to use regularly, and too large to use with your thumbs; with that kind of real estate we'd have preferred a proper split thumb-board with a nice big track pad in the middle. Major bummer. The trackpad is pretty sensitive, but a little difficult to control. The machine itself is certainly snappy enough, though, even running Vista with Aero. Hitting SnapVUE / Windows Mobile-mode is instantaneous, albeit a little jarring -- especially since the screen is so huge and WinMo is so clearly not intended for it -- but it's nice to have a lighter weight interface than full-on Windows.
Try though we might, we simply could not find a way to disengage the unit from its leather-bound case. Maybe this was outlined in the Shift's documentation, of which we received none. Quite annoying.
HTC kindly bundles a screen protector, a spare clicky stylus, external USB hub with Ethernet (ahem, Air), and headphones with mic.All in all not bad, but it's going to take a hell of a lot more than what the Shift's offering up to get us to drop $1,500 on a UMPC of any kind. And it isn't winning it any further points considering that one of the device's main draws -- the keyboard -- may as well not even exist for us fat-fingered fools. Check out the extensive unboxing and hands-on gallery below.
HTC's Shift finally launched in the US this week, and what do you know, we landed one to check out. Sure as hell ain't too shabby for a UMPC, but while it's got a number of things working in its favor (versatile form factor, solid hardware, lots of niceties like a fingerprint reader, 3G, Windows Mobile, etc.), it's got a number of bits working pretty hard against it. Some thoughts:
The screen hinge is significantly improved and feels really solid. Without putting it through 20,000 open / close cycles, we think it's fairly trustworthy, definitely good HTC gear.
The microscopic keyboard keys are an absolute nightmare to type on with two hands if you've got normal human mitts. Unfortunately, it's just too small to use regularly, and too large to use with your thumbs; with that kind of real estate we'd have preferred a proper split thumb-board with a nice big track pad in the middle. Major bummer. The trackpad is pretty sensitive, but a little difficult to control. The machine itself is certainly snappy enough, though, even running Vista with Aero. Hitting SnapVUE / Windows Mobile-mode is instantaneous, albeit a little jarring -- especially since the screen is so huge and WinMo is so clearly not intended for it -- but it's nice to have a lighter weight interface than full-on Windows.
Try though we might, we simply could not find a way to disengage the unit from its leather-bound case. Maybe this was outlined in the Shift's documentation, of which we received none. Quite annoying.
HTC kindly bundles a screen protector, a spare clicky stylus, external USB hub with Ethernet (ahem, Air), and headphones with mic.All in all not bad, but it's going to take a hell of a lot more than what the Shift's offering up to get us to drop $1,500 on a UMPC of any kind. And it isn't winning it any further points considering that one of the device's main draws -- the keyboard -- may as well not even exist for us fat-fingered fools. Check out the extensive unboxing and hands-on gallery below.
Doctor Computer is Probably a Safer Bet Than the Geek Squad [Computer Repair]
When your computer is on the fritz, go to someone you trust. Someone like Doctor Computer.
The Ultimate Twirling Pen: It's Annoying With or Without the LEDs [Gadgets]
The Penmawashi was designed by Hideki, the reigning pen twirling champion of the world. If you are thinking "there's a pen twirling champion?"—I'm with you. Yes there is, and apparently he is...
Radical Coffee Shop Vox Pop Opens in Bowery Poetry Club
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Sander Hicks is a former book publisher (he ran Soft Skull Press), a proselytizer for the 9/11 conspiracy-theory movement, and proprietor of a politicized coffee shop/bookstore called Vox Pop in Flatbush that he dreams of building into a national chain rivaling Starbucks. With his second location set to open (inside the Bowery Poetry Club in the East Village), he spoke to Jeff Koyen.
Sander Hicks is a former book publisher (he ran Soft Skull Press), a proselytizer for the 9/11 conspiracy-theory movement, and proprietor of a politicized coffee shop/bookstore called Vox Pop in Flatbush that he dreams of building into a national chain rivaling Starbucks. With his second location set to open (inside the Bowery Poetry Club in the East Village), he spoke to Jeff Koyen.
Question of the Day: Which Office Gadget Would You Love to Smash? [Question Of The Day]
The scene in Office Space where they take revenge on their printer really hit home for me because I used to have a paper jam piece of crap at an old job that I would have loved to smash. Chances are,...
Nokia's NAVTEQ acquisition draws probe from the EU
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It may have won approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and NAVTEQ shareholders alike, but it looks like the EU's European Commission needs a bit more time to think over Nokia's acquisition of the company, and it's now launched an "in-depth" probe into the matter. According to Reuters, the Commission said that the "proposed merger raises serious doubts with regards to ... competition concerns," although it was quick to add that the decision to open the inquiry does not prejudge the result of the probe. Among other things, the probe will apparently attempt to asses whether whether the purchase would affect the cost of maps for other companies providing navigation services on cellphones. If all of this has a familiar ring, it should, because it wasn't all that long ago that the EU launched a similar probe into TomTom's similar acquisition of map-maker Tele Atlas.
It may have won approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and NAVTEQ shareholders alike, but it looks like the EU's European Commission needs a bit more time to think over Nokia's acquisition of the company, and it's now launched an "in-depth" probe into the matter. According to Reuters, the Commission said that the "proposed merger raises serious doubts with regards to ... competition concerns," although it was quick to add that the decision to open the inquiry does not prejudge the result of the probe. Among other things, the probe will apparently attempt to asses whether whether the purchase would affect the cost of maps for other companies providing navigation services on cellphones. If all of this has a familiar ring, it should, because it wasn't all that long ago that the EU launched a similar probe into TomTom's similar acquisition of map-maker Tele Atlas.
Nokia reveals the WiMAX N810 just a little early
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-28-08-n810wimax.jpg
We've been hearing that a WiMAX-enabled version of Nokia's N810 would be making its grand debut at CTIA on April 1, but it looks like the cat's out of the bag -- check this new image on the Nokia Europe site. Yeah, no beating around the bush there -- we'd say the WiMAX N810 is coming, and soon. Sadly, the product link doesn't work yet, but we think we might have a hunch what the major differences from the regular N810 are.
We've been hearing that a WiMAX-enabled version of Nokia's N810 would be making its grand debut at CTIA on April 1, but it looks like the cat's out of the bag -- check this new image on the Nokia Europe site. Yeah, no beating around the bush there -- we'd say the WiMAX N810 is coming, and soon. Sadly, the product link doesn't work yet, but we think we might have a hunch what the major differences from the regular N810 are.
Big Pussy Beats The Shit Out of a Printer in the Name of Low Ink Prices [Printers]
newVideoPlayer("kodakpussy_giz.flv", 475, 286,"");In a new spot for Kodak EasyShare printers, Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore takes a cheap HP out to the docks and yells at it for conning him into...
HD DVD Officially No Longer Exists [Hd Dvd]
The HD DVD Promo group was dissolved today, its ashes scattered on the Island of Dead Formats. After a moment of silence, make your way to Best Buy to claim your $50 and trade in your obsolete...
Pube Grooming Kit Makes Your Muff Best In Show [Pubic Topiary]
Anyone into heart-shaped boxes need look no further than the Just Kittyng Kit. In it is all the gear you need to turn your girlfriend's lady-garden into something more, shall we say, ornamental. It's...
IR2BT Infrared-to-Bluetooth converter now on sale, PS3 owners rejoice
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Although the PlayStation 3 is quite the lovely Blu-ray player in most respects, one issue has nagged remote junkies from day one: the absence of IR. Now, however, the highly-anticipated IR2BT Infrared-to-Bluetooth converter is on the market, and sure enough, it promises to transmit "all 51 Sony Blu-ray remote codes including the PS button for Power On / Off." The unit itself measures in at 4.5- x 3- x 1-inches, operates on a pair of AA cells or a mini-USB connector and doesn't even require you to own a soldering iron. Ready to control your PS3 via a universal IR remote without getting a degree in electrical engineering? Hit up the read link and hand over your $55, bub.
Although the PlayStation 3 is quite the lovely Blu-ray player in most respects, one issue has nagged remote junkies from day one: the absence of IR. Now, however, the highly-anticipated IR2BT Infrared-to-Bluetooth converter is on the market, and sure enough, it promises to transmit "all 51 Sony Blu-ray remote codes including the PS button for Power On / Off." The unit itself measures in at 4.5- x 3- x 1-inches, operates on a pair of AA cells or a mini-USB connector and doesn't even require you to own a soldering iron. Ready to control your PS3 via a universal IR remote without getting a degree in electrical engineering? Hit up the read link and hand over your $55, bub.
Yahoo! Pushes 26.5 Million Microformats Into the Wild
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Zerofootprint and Earth Hour have teamed up!
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Earth Hour has teamed up with Zerofootprint to provide two carbon calculators that enable Earth Hour participants to measure their carbon footprint. Measure yours at http://earthhour.zerofootprint.net/. Or try the Facebook version that will allow you mobilize and challenge your friends. You can also support Earth Hour by logging on to Zerofootprint Toronto and joining the Earth Hour group....
Earth Hour has teamed up with Zerofootprint to provide two carbon calculators that enable Earth Hour participants to measure their carbon footprint. Measure yours at http://earthhour.zerofootprint.net/. Or try the Facebook version that will allow you mobilize and challenge your friends. You can also support Earth Hour by logging on to Zerofootprint Toronto and joining the Earth Hour group....
15 Algae Biofuels Startups to Watch
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Earth2Tech has a roundup of biofuel startups that are working on turning algae into fuel. We can't yet know what will happen; Some of these companies might become huge in the next few years, or they might be left in the dust by new developments (solar energy below $1/watt and advances in battery or hypercapacitor technology, for example). Only the future will tell, but in the meantime, they are worth keeping an eye on.The companies are:
Earth2Tech has a roundup of biofuel startups that are working on turning algae into fuel. We can't yet know what will happen; Some of these companies might become huge in the next few years, or they might be left in the dust by new developments (solar energy below $1/watt and advances in battery or hypercapacitor technology, for example). Only the future will tell, but in the meantime, they are worth keeping an eye on.The companies are:
Mac OS X 10.5.3 Test Builds Seeded to Developers [Apple]
Apple's just released a OS X Leopard 10.5.3 update beta to developers, meaning that the patch is at least stable enough for widespread testing. Among the things being fixed are several memory leaks...
Pop Quiz: Greenhouse Guess
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HDD USB Dock Gets USB Hub Integrated, Still Plugs in Like NES Cartridges [Brando]
The USB HDD Dock we saw a few months ago just got a USB hub upgrade. Not only does it still take 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch SATA drives in the top like a Famicom cartridge, there's an added 4-port USB hub...
Cuba lifts restrictions on cellphone use
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-13-08-cuba-flag.jpg
It's only just ended its ban on DVD player and computer sales, but Cuba's apparently not stopping it's technological catch-up there, with President Raul Castro now announcing that the country's also lifting its restrictions on cellphone use. As the AFP reports, there have of course been cellphones in the country for some time, but they have mainly been reserved for foreigners, government staff, or those who were able to obtain them through third parties. Under the new regulations, however, Cubans will be able to get cellphone service from state telecom ETECSA, but only in the form of prepaid contracts that must be paid for in foreign currency. Reuters also adds that Cubans will be able to both make and receive international calls under the new service. Any other details are apparently pretty light at the moment, but ETECSA says it'll be providing information on how Cubans can switch over their existing service or sign up for a new contract in the next few days.
It's only just ended its ban on DVD player and computer sales, but Cuba's apparently not stopping it's technological catch-up there, with President Raul Castro now announcing that the country's also lifting its restrictions on cellphone use. As the AFP reports, there have of course been cellphones in the country for some time, but they have mainly been reserved for foreigners, government staff, or those who were able to obtain them through third parties. Under the new regulations, however, Cubans will be able to get cellphone service from state telecom ETECSA, but only in the form of prepaid contracts that must be paid for in foreign currency. Reuters also adds that Cubans will be able to both make and receive international calls under the new service. Any other details are apparently pretty light at the moment, but ETECSA says it'll be providing information on how Cubans can switch over their existing service or sign up for a new contract in the next few days.
No More Stubbed Toes with Footlume
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It's an electroluminescent that glows when you step on it. "The glow that the rug emits is very soft," says co-inventor Leona Dean, of London South Bank University, who also noted the innovation's party applications, "It can provide ambient mood lighting or flash in time to music as a talking point at a party."Livescience writes that Dean and another LSBU engineering student Zoe Robson developed the light-up rug, called Footlume, for a college course, and they will exhibit the innovation at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show in London this month.Now if they could only hook it up with a piezoelectric generator dancefloor like the one at
It's an electroluminescent that glows when you step on it. "The glow that the rug emits is very soft," says co-inventor Leona Dean, of London South Bank University, who also noted the innovation's party applications, "It can provide ambient mood lighting or flash in time to music as a talking point at a party."Livescience writes that Dean and another LSBU engineering student Zoe Robson developed the light-up rug, called Footlume, for a college course, and they will exhibit the innovation at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show in London this month.Now if they could only hook it up with a piezoelectric generator dancefloor like the one at
Nike July / September Catalog Preview
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A series of photos from Nike’s Summer ‘08 catalog has been presented and delivers some promising new images of a few upcoming releases. Introduced first, the Metallic Silver / Gridiron / Neutral Grey Terminator High Supreme features supreme materials and by the looks of the rest of the images, this Terminator High will be releasing
A series of photos from Nike’s Summer ‘08 catalog has been presented and delivers some promising new images of a few upcoming releases. Introduced first, the Metallic Silver / Gridiron / Neutral Grey Terminator High Supreme features supreme materials and by the looks of the rest of the images, this Terminator High will be releasing September with the rest of the other Supreme models.
Next up, is a trio of Supreme Vandal Highs. Included are the vintage models which include the Varsity Red/Metallic Silver, Black/Metallic Gold and Metallic Silver/Varsity Red. Lastly, two pairs of the Terminator High wrap up the preview and present the Swan/Noble Green/Washed Green and Solar Flare/Obsidian/Berry/Swan. Via Hangtime.
A series of photos from Nike’s Summer ‘08 catalog has been presented and delivers some promising new images of a few upcoming releases. Introduced first, the Metallic Silver / Gridiron / Neutral Grey Terminator High Supreme features supreme materials and by the looks of the rest of the images, this Terminator High will be releasing
A series of photos from Nike’s Summer ‘08 catalog has been presented and delivers some promising new images of a few upcoming releases. Introduced first, the Metallic Silver / Gridiron / Neutral Grey Terminator High Supreme features supreme materials and by the looks of the rest of the images, this Terminator High will be releasing September with the rest of the other Supreme models.
Next up, is a trio of Supreme Vandal Highs. Included are the vintage models which include the Varsity Red/Metallic Silver, Black/Metallic Gold and Metallic Silver/Varsity Red. Lastly, two pairs of the Terminator High wrap up the preview and present the Swan/Noble Green/Washed Green and Solar Flare/Obsidian/Berry/Swan. Via Hangtime.
Aptera to make cameo in next Star Trek film?
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-28-08-aptera-movie.jpg
For those unaware, "veiled in secrecy" is an extreme understatement when it comes to the next Star Trek flick -- if there actually is a next Star Trek flick, that is. Nevertheless, an undercover photographer managed to grab some recent shots of a film production operating under the title "Corporate Headquarters," and a few snaps caught a vehicle that looks awfully similar to the 300MPG Aptera. Coincidentally enough, said craft was also missing from last week's New York Auto Show. Look, we aren't piecing together clues in a valiant attempt to get you stoked about seeing a space aged automobile in a movie that may or may not even be real (okay, it's real), but then again, it's hard to shake the evidence.
For those unaware, "veiled in secrecy" is an extreme understatement when it comes to the next Star Trek flick -- if there actually is a next Star Trek flick, that is. Nevertheless, an undercover photographer managed to grab some recent shots of a film production operating under the title "Corporate Headquarters," and a few snaps caught a vehicle that looks awfully similar to the 300MPG Aptera. Coincidentally enough, said craft was also missing from last week's New York Auto Show. Look, we aren't piecing together clues in a valiant attempt to get you stoked about seeing a space aged automobile in a movie that may or may not even be real (okay, it's real), but then again, it's hard to shake the evidence.
Desktop Air Purifier
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The Desktop Air Purifier retails for $89.95, so now you can have your own personal green lung space at the office.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:USB Air PurifierPersonal Water Purifier gives clean drinking waterFresh Fridge Air PurifierSolar Powered Pool Purifier makes swimming nearly chemical freePurify your water on the go! Admit it, you think it's cool.Working at the office all day long can be quite a drag, especially when the ventilation in there isn’t much to shout about. How about having the Desktop Air Purifier grace your desk for some much needed fresh air?
Occupying as little desktop surface as a postcard, this compact air purifier from the manufacturer of our Best Air Purifier creates a personal clean air zone in your office, home, or hotel room. Its patented design houses an ionizer and a whisper-quiet 12-volt fan in a 6 1/4″ square brushed aluminum dock that draws air through the turquoise HEPA filter, trapping dust, smoke, pollen, and other impurities without emitting ozone. The purifier covers a 29′ sq. area with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 20 for dust, 18 for smoke, and 25 for pollen, while requiring 85% less energy than comparable models. Overall, the unit is smaller than a shoebox, allowing you to pack it easily in a briefcase or luggage for travel. The filter lasts up to six months. Plugs into AC.
The Desktop Air Purifier retails for $89.95, so now you can have your own personal green lung space at the office.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:USB Air PurifierPersonal Water Purifier gives clean drinking waterFresh Fridge Air PurifierSolar Powered Pool Purifier makes swimming nearly chemical freePurify your water on the go! Admit it, you think it's cool.
The Desktop Air Purifier retails for $89.95, so now you can have your own personal green lung space at the office.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:USB Air PurifierPersonal Water Purifier gives clean drinking waterFresh Fridge Air PurifierSolar Powered Pool Purifier makes swimming nearly chemical freePurify your water on the go! Admit it, you think it's cool.Working at the office all day long can be quite a drag, especially when the ventilation in there isn’t much to shout about. How about having the Desktop Air Purifier grace your desk for some much needed fresh air?
Occupying as little desktop surface as a postcard, this compact air purifier from the manufacturer of our Best Air Purifier creates a personal clean air zone in your office, home, or hotel room. Its patented design houses an ionizer and a whisper-quiet 12-volt fan in a 6 1/4″ square brushed aluminum dock that draws air through the turquoise HEPA filter, trapping dust, smoke, pollen, and other impurities without emitting ozone. The purifier covers a 29′ sq. area with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 20 for dust, 18 for smoke, and 25 for pollen, while requiring 85% less energy than comparable models. Overall, the unit is smaller than a shoebox, allowing you to pack it easily in a briefcase or luggage for travel. The filter lasts up to six months. Plugs into AC.
The Desktop Air Purifier retails for $89.95, so now you can have your own personal green lung space at the office.
Pressy idea: Educational Toys
Related Posts:USB Air PurifierPersonal Water Purifier gives clean drinking waterFresh Fridge Air PurifierSolar Powered Pool Purifier makes swimming nearly chemical freePurify your water on the go! Admit it, you think it's cool.
Half Baked: Why Not Just Adapt To Global Warming?
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The Los Angeles Times bumbled a story and a concept yesterday when it covered research by Roger A. Pielke Jr, a Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. LA Times staff writer, Alan Zarembo stated:"The 'non-skeptic heretic club' says it would be easier and cheaper to adapt than fight climate change."A provocateur in climate mitigation strategy circles, Pielke flatly disagrees with the incorrect interpretation of his statements put forth by the LA Times. A debate quickly emerged between
The Los Angeles Times bumbled a story and a concept yesterday when it covered research by Roger A. Pielke Jr, a Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. LA Times staff writer, Alan Zarembo stated:"The 'non-skeptic heretic club' says it would be easier and cheaper to adapt than fight climate change."A provocateur in climate mitigation strategy circles, Pielke flatly disagrees with the incorrect interpretation of his statements put forth by the LA Times. A debate quickly emerged between
Nike ACG Style Dunk Low Pack
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/acgpack.jpg
Nike has directed most of their attention to the premium Dunk High packages from the Be True campaign, but it is time that they released a Nike Dunk Low set. The new package gets the ACG treatment with a speckled mid-sole and woven multicolored laces. The upper is composed a mesh side panels and a
Nike has directed most of their attention to the premium Dunk High packages from the Be True campaign, but it is time that they released a Nike Dunk Low set. The new package gets the ACG treatment with a speckled mid-sole and woven multicolored laces.
The upper is composed a mesh side panels and a nylon tongue, which is always a great addition. Included are three different color-ways, Navy/Red, Grey/Blue and Black/Yellow. All three are available at End Clothing.
Nike has directed most of their attention to the premium Dunk High packages from the Be True campaign, but it is time that they released a Nike Dunk Low set. The new package gets the ACG treatment with a speckled mid-sole and woven multicolored laces. The upper is composed a mesh side panels and a
Nike has directed most of their attention to the premium Dunk High packages from the Be True campaign, but it is time that they released a Nike Dunk Low set. The new package gets the ACG treatment with a speckled mid-sole and woven multicolored laces.
The upper is composed a mesh side panels and a nylon tongue, which is always a great addition. Included are three different color-ways, Navy/Red, Grey/Blue and Black/Yellow. All three are available at End Clothing.
Nike Vintage Nylon Cortez - 4 New Color-ways
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Nike extends their collection of vintage models with the release of four new color-ways of the Vintage Nylon Cortez which has already been given the vintage look earlier this year. The four new color-ways include; Green/Blue/White, Vivid Blue/Black/White, Anthracite/Pilgrim/White, and Varsity Red/Deep Garnet. All of the new color-ways are now available at Finishline.
Nike extends their collection of vintage models with the release of four new color-ways of the Vintage Nylon Cortez which has already been given the vintage look earlier this year. The four new color-ways include; Green/Blue/White, Vivid Blue/Black/White, Anthracite/Pilgrim/White, and Varsity Red/Deep Garnet. All of the new color-ways are now available at Finishline.
Nike extends their collection of vintage models with the release of four new color-ways of the Vintage Nylon Cortez which has already been given the vintage look earlier this year. The four new color-ways include; Green/Blue/White, Vivid Blue/Black/White, Anthracite/Pilgrim/White, and Varsity Red/Deep Garnet. All of the new color-ways are now available at Finishline.
Nike extends their collection of vintage models with the release of four new color-ways of the Vintage Nylon Cortez which has already been given the vintage look earlier this year. The four new color-ways include; Green/Blue/White, Vivid Blue/Black/White, Anthracite/Pilgrim/White, and Varsity Red/Deep Garnet. All of the new color-ways are now available at Finishline.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Most Depressing Watch Ever: Prepare to Be Bummed [Watches]
This watch has been dubbed the "Accurate" not so much for its abilities to keep accurate time, but for its reminder about our inevitable demise. Following in the tradition of memento mori, the...
Renting Your College Books: Greenwash or Green Choice?
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For awhile now I’ve been getting these emails from various pr folks asking me to feature this site or that which allows college students to engage in “Book Renting†via the internet to save money while ostensibly cutting down on the number of books that need to be sold.Of course fewer books equal more trees, and with college courses constantly in a state of flux it may be reasonable to rent as opposed to purchasing. Especially when some estimates indicate as many as 4 million trees are felled annually to simply create new textbooks....
For awhile now I’ve been getting these emails from various pr folks asking me to feature this site or that which allows college students to engage in “Book Renting†via the internet to save money while ostensibly cutting down on the number of books that need to be sold.Of course fewer books equal more trees, and with college courses constantly in a state of flux it may be reasonable to rent as opposed to purchasing. Especially when some estimates indicate as many as 4 million trees are felled annually to simply create new textbooks....
Happy birthday: take a trip in America's largest flying gadget (part 5)
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Sometimes even the plugged-in Engadget reader needs to pick up and head out for more relaxing climes. Well, for our fourth birthday this month we're treating six lucky people to two round trip tickets destined for anywhere Virgin America flies. We wouldn't want you traveling in something that doesn't have power, network, and a seatback terminal, though, so you don't have to sweat about completely unplugging to get from point A to point B. Check out the rules below, and good luck!
Leave a comment below. It is in honor of our fourth birthday, after all, so we wouldn't mind a bit of adulation -- but it's up to you.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. Although you can enter up to six times through the course of this six part giveaway, if you enter this specific giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get two round trip tickets anywhere Virgin America flies. Tickets are valid through May 31st, 2008, and are blacked out May 22-26. Approximate value is $599 per pair. You can only win once. Entries can be submitted until Friday, March 28th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.Oh, and be sure to enter part 1, part 2, part 3, or part 4 for another chance!
Sometimes even the plugged-in Engadget reader needs to pick up and head out for more relaxing climes. Well, for our fourth birthday this month we're treating six lucky people to two round trip tickets destined for anywhere Virgin America flies. We wouldn't want you traveling in something that doesn't have power, network, and a seatback terminal, though, so you don't have to sweat about completely unplugging to get from point A to point B. Check out the rules below, and good luck!
Leave a comment below. It is in honor of our fourth birthday, after all, so we wouldn't mind a bit of adulation -- but it's up to you.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. Although you can enter up to six times through the course of this six part giveaway, if you enter this specific giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get two round trip tickets anywhere Virgin America flies. Tickets are valid through May 31st, 2008, and are blacked out May 22-26. Approximate value is $599 per pair. You can only win once. Entries can be submitted until Friday, March 28th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.Oh, and be sure to enter part 1, part 2, part 3, or part 4 for another chance!
Surface to hit consumerdom in 2011, maybe sooner
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The last we heard about a consumer-oriented version of Microsoft Surface, Steve Ballmer was saying that the company was trying to get it out ASAP -- which is apparently three years, we've just learned. That's the word from Tom Gibbons, the MS VP in charge of Specialized Devices and Applications, who says Microsoft can "absolutely see how" to get Surface to consumers by 2011, but that it'll try to beat that deadline if possible. Of course, the $10,000 commercial version of Surface still hasn't been released to high-profile customers like T-Mobile and Harrah's, and although it's starting to make semi-random promo appearances here and there. Still, though, 2011? We're getting pretty sick of old-school Hungry Hungry Hippos here, people -- let's make this happen.
The last we heard about a consumer-oriented version of Microsoft Surface, Steve Ballmer was saying that the company was trying to get it out ASAP -- which is apparently three years, we've just learned. That's the word from Tom Gibbons, the MS VP in charge of Specialized Devices and Applications, who says Microsoft can "absolutely see how" to get Surface to consumers by 2011, but that it'll try to beat that deadline if possible. Of course, the $10,000 commercial version of Surface still hasn't been released to high-profile customers like T-Mobile and Harrah's, and although it's starting to make semi-random promo appearances here and there. Still, though, 2011? We're getting pretty sick of old-school Hungry Hungry Hippos here, people -- let's make this happen.
Iron Monger Looks Like Badass Old Italian Espresso Machine [Iron Man]
newVideoPlayer("ironmantvspotz_io9.flv", 463, 387,"");Yeah. New Iron Man trailer. Shorter than the amazing full trailer, but with a few new seconds. Tony "Iron Man, it's kind of catchy" Stark still...
Bed Sheets Fan Blows In the Wrong Direction [Mild Is The Wind]
According to the manufacturer, the Between the Sheet Fan will create a "cool personal microclimate between your bed sheets, allowing you to regulate your temperature as you sleep without disturbing a...
AT&T announces AT&T Mobile TV for May launch
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They haven't revealed anything we didn't already know, but AT&T's finally come out with a semi-firm date for the launch of its MediaFLO-powered mobile TV service which will be branded simply as "AT&T Mobile TV." It'll be available to subscribers in May -- no specific date just yet -- on two exclusive handsets, the Prada-esque LG Vu and the more pedestrian Samsung Access; the Vu features an expansive touchscreen and 2 megapixel camera, while the Access makes do with a smaller landscape display and a 1.3 megapixel sensor. Both feature Bluetooth and 3G data, but the real story here is Mobile TV itself, which will come with two new channels that are exclusive to AT&T (in other words, unavailable on the other live MediaFLO service, VCAST TV from Verizon). The latest, hottest way to burn productivity on the go gets real in just a few short weeks, folks, so finish up whatever remaining work you have now.
They haven't revealed anything we didn't already know, but AT&T's finally come out with a semi-firm date for the launch of its MediaFLO-powered mobile TV service which will be branded simply as "AT&T Mobile TV." It'll be available to subscribers in May -- no specific date just yet -- on two exclusive handsets, the Prada-esque LG Vu and the more pedestrian Samsung Access; the Vu features an expansive touchscreen and 2 megapixel camera, while the Access makes do with a smaller landscape display and a 1.3 megapixel sensor. Both feature Bluetooth and 3G data, but the real story here is Mobile TV itself, which will come with two new channels that are exclusive to AT&T (in other words, unavailable on the other live MediaFLO service, VCAST TV from Verizon). The latest, hottest way to burn productivity on the go gets real in just a few short weeks, folks, so finish up whatever remaining work you have now.
How to Hook Up Your Surround Sound With Flat Speaker Cable [Home Entertiainment]
Earlier this month we were horrified to learn that as many as 50% of home theater buyers are not hooking up their rear surround speakers. For the vast majority of these DIYers, the main culprits were...
Noon Solar Spring 2008 Collection
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Noon Solar gave us a sneak peek of its upcoming spring collection, available online and in stores in April. In addition to the popular Logan satchel (pictured above), which will be making a return in olive-and-brown leather, the solar-bag company will also be releasing two new styles: The Sawyer, a unisex messenger bag in mustard and chocolate, as well as the Oakley, a maroon tote.Outfitted with flexible solar panels, and made with cloth and vegetable-tanned German leather, Noon Solar's hot-to-trot bags are dyed using the ancient Japanese art of Shibori, a method not unlike tie-dying that results in the ...
Noon Solar gave us a sneak peek of its upcoming spring collection, available online and in stores in April. In addition to the popular Logan satchel (pictured above), which will be making a return in olive-and-brown leather, the solar-bag company will also be releasing two new styles: The Sawyer, a unisex messenger bag in mustard and chocolate, as well as the Oakley, a maroon tote.Outfitted with flexible solar panels, and made with cloth and vegetable-tanned German leather, Noon Solar's hot-to-trot bags are dyed using the ancient Japanese art of Shibori, a method not unlike tie-dying that results in the ...
Today on Planet Green
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:: Learn how to make your own Top Ramen noodles.:: Get a free audiobook until 12 p.m. (ET) tomorrow.:: A new study shows that kids with stressed-out parents are more likely to get sick. Learn how to keep your cool, naturally. :: Get some tips for using up what you have in the fridge, and generating less waste.:: Treat the sy...
:: Learn how to make your own Top Ramen noodles.:: Get a free audiobook until 12 p.m. (ET) tomorrow.:: A new study shows that kids with stressed-out parents are more likely to get sick. Learn how to keep your cool, naturally. :: Get some tips for using up what you have in the fridge, and generating less waste.:: Treat the sy...
Man Stuff - The Best of Uncrate [Roundups]
This week at Uncrate: We live the high life Vegas-style at the Palms Place Hotel, Condo & Spa, cover our walls in nostalgia with Star Wars Action Figure Prints, and hide all our travel essentials in...
‘Top Chef’ Castoff Has No Love for Rick Bayless
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Last night on Top Chef, San Franciscan Erik Hopfinger was ousted for his poorly rendered gourmet tacos and his sad, soggy corn dogs. But this setback doesn’t stop the 38-year-old from pursuing chef-fashion projects and singing the praises of his cheftestant-in-arms, Spike. New York’s Michael Connelly talked to Erik this afternoon.
Last night on Top Chef, San Franciscan Erik Hopfinger was ousted for his poorly rendered gourmet tacos and his sad, soggy corn dogs. But this setback doesn’t stop the 38-year-old from pursuing chef-fashion projects and singing the praises of his cheftestant-in-arms, Spike. New York’s Michael Connelly talked to Erik this afternoon.
Home Modder Idol Ben Heck Gets Profiled [Modding]
You've seen Ben Heck's homemade gaming devices featured here a lot, and there's a reason for it: Adam Frucci loves him. Which is why he slathered much praise on the hardware modder in this Reuters...
US Food Industry Helping USDA Craft New Message: 'Vegetarianism Is Better'
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USDA is kindly helping the meat industry butcher its own public image. As expected, the gun is pointed at the collective foot behind closed doors.Under pressure from the food industry, the Agriculture Department is considering a proposal not to identify retailers where tainted meat went for sale except in cases of serious health risk, The Associated Press has learned.Had that been the rule in place last month, consumers would not have been told if their supermarkets sold meat from a Southern California slaughterhouse that triggered the biggest beef recall in U.S. history....
USDA is kindly helping the meat industry butcher its own public image. As expected, the gun is pointed at the collective foot behind closed doors.Under pressure from the food industry, the Agriculture Department is considering a proposal not to identify retailers where tainted meat went for sale except in cases of serious health risk, The Associated Press has learned.Had that been the rule in place last month, consumers would not have been told if their supermarkets sold meat from a Southern California slaughterhouse that triggered the biggest beef recall in U.S. history....
Behold the "Access," Samsung's First Mobile TV Phone With AT&T [Cellphones]
Samsung and AT&T have officially announced the arrival of the "Access"—Samsung's Samsung's first device to support AT&T Mobile TV. The phone features a 2.3-inch landscape display, dual-band 3G...
Weird Combo of the Day: Free iPod Nano With Twelve-Pack of Caulk [Weird Combo Of The Day]
Oh caulk! Is there anything you can't do? Not only do you allow us to plug up holes by squirting your oozing, white fluid-like substance all over the place, but you come in a long and pleasing...
Who Will Get Hacked First: Vista, OSX or Linux? Place Your Bets Here [Hacker Superbowl]
Organizers behind the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver are putting together a "hacker superbowl" of sorts, pitting attendees skills against Vista, Mac OSX and Linux. Dubbed PWN 2 OWN...
MIT spin-off 1366 Technologies touts better, cheaper solar cells
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In what's become an increasingly familiar tune, a startup company has announced that it's just pulled in a significant haul of funding based on its promises of better, cheaper solar power. In this case, the company in question is 1366 Technologies, which was spun out of research from MIT and is headed by MIT professor Ely Sachs (who is taking a leave of absence to focus on the company). According to the company, it's found a way to make solar cells from multicrystalline silicon that are just as efficient as ones from single-crystal silicon, which is normally much more expensive to produce. In terms of hard numbers, that translates to solar cells that are 27 percent more efficient than your average solar cell, and (in its current state) a cost a $2.10 per watt. Sachs says that cost will come down to $1.65 per watt when manufacturered on a commercial scale, however, and will eventually drop to $1.30 a watt with some "planned improvements." That's still short of the $1 a watt goal they're aiming for (which is roughly the cost of coal), but the company seems confident they can hit that mark by 2012 with some "anticipated advances."
In what's become an increasingly familiar tune, a startup company has announced that it's just pulled in a significant haul of funding based on its promises of better, cheaper solar power. In this case, the company in question is 1366 Technologies, which was spun out of research from MIT and is headed by MIT professor Ely Sachs (who is taking a leave of absence to focus on the company). According to the company, it's found a way to make solar cells from multicrystalline silicon that are just as efficient as ones from single-crystal silicon, which is normally much more expensive to produce. In terms of hard numbers, that translates to solar cells that are 27 percent more efficient than your average solar cell, and (in its current state) a cost a $2.10 per watt. Sachs says that cost will come down to $1.65 per watt when manufacturered on a commercial scale, however, and will eventually drop to $1.30 a watt with some "planned improvements." That's still short of the $1 a watt goal they're aiming for (which is roughly the cost of coal), but the company seems confident they can hit that mark by 2012 with some "anticipated advances."
Dash Full Review: Don't Miss the Traffic Terminator [Reminder]
Hey, in case you missed it, don't forget to check out the most thorough review of the Dash on the web—we drove over 1000 miles with it so you don't have to.
Samsung launches 10.2-megapixel L210 point-and-shoot
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Now isn't this bugger just as cute as a button? Even if red isn't your hue of choice, Samsung's L210 point-and-shoot comes in black and silver motifs too, and while the 10.2-megapixel sensor is probably a bit much for a shooter this size, we suppose Sammy's just following the trend. Aside from the pocket-friendly design and 3x optical zoom lens, you'll also find a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, red eye correction, optical and digital image stabilization, face detection, an SVGA movie mode and ten whole megabytes of internal storage. Should that fill up on you during your outing (we know, chances are slim), you can slam an SD / SDHC / MMC card in for additional space. Not too terribly shabby for $199.95, yeah?
Now isn't this bugger just as cute as a button? Even if red isn't your hue of choice, Samsung's L210 point-and-shoot comes in black and silver motifs too, and while the 10.2-megapixel sensor is probably a bit much for a shooter this size, we suppose Sammy's just following the trend. Aside from the pocket-friendly design and 3x optical zoom lens, you'll also find a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, red eye correction, optical and digital image stabilization, face detection, an SVGA movie mode and ten whole megabytes of internal storage. Should that fill up on you during your outing (we know, chances are slim), you can slam an SD / SDHC / MMC card in for additional space. Not too terribly shabby for $199.95, yeah?
Next Generation of GPS Devices Will Save More Fuel
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Traffic jams, apart from being a major cause of lost productivity and frustration, are also a source of pollution and wasted fuel. Idling cars are getting zero miles per gallon. The Economist reports that technology might soon help drivers get where they are going in less time, and thus, burn less fuel.GPS devices are already seeing rapid adoption, and they are helping, but they alone are not enough: Most use signposted speeds to calculate trip times, don't have real-time traffic data, and don't take into acco...
Traffic jams, apart from being a major cause of lost productivity and frustration, are also a source of pollution and wasted fuel. Idling cars are getting zero miles per gallon. The Economist reports that technology might soon help drivers get where they are going in less time, and thus, burn less fuel.GPS devices are already seeing rapid adoption, and they are helping, but they alone are not enough: Most use signposted speeds to calculate trip times, don't have real-time traffic data, and don't take into acco...
What's Jimmy Carter Got To Do With Algae Bio-Diesel?
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"Greensters" (green oldsters) won't forget the gas station waiting lines that were routine under the US Presidential Administration of Jimmy Carter. On the plus side, the inconvenience alone led to people buying more efficient vehicles. This, in turn, had a negative feedback loop: Japan, Inc. got to eat Detroit's lunch with a dash of reliability & quality: efficiency was almost a side-dish by the time Motown car designers smelled the coffee.Turns out, Jimmy's foresight had another plus side that, to this day, shows no sign of a negative feedback loop. Through a $25 million dollar biodiesel research program, his Administration set in motion th...
"Greensters" (green oldsters) won't forget the gas station waiting lines that were routine under the US Presidential Administration of Jimmy Carter. On the plus side, the inconvenience alone led to people buying more efficient vehicles. This, in turn, had a negative feedback loop: Japan, Inc. got to eat Detroit's lunch with a dash of reliability & quality: efficiency was almost a side-dish by the time Motown car designers smelled the coffee.Turns out, Jimmy's foresight had another plus side that, to this day, shows no sign of a negative feedback loop. Through a $25 million dollar biodiesel research program, his Administration set in motion th...
NVIDIA drivers responsible for nearly 30% of Vista crashes in 2007
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That huge bundle of damning emails and documents Microsoft produced as part of the Vista-capable lawsuit is full of fascinating information about how the company developed, planned, and launched Vista, but the latest juicy nugget to come out if it suggests that a lot of problems faced by the troubled operating system are actually NVIDIA's fault -- nearly 30% of logged Vista crashes were due to NVIDIA driver problems, according to a Microsoft data included in the bundle. That's some 479,326 hung systems, if you're keeping score at home, and it's in first place by a large margin -- Microsoft clocks in at number two at 17.9 percent, and ATI is fourth with 9.3 percent. Now, the chart doesn't contain a ton of additional information that would help put it in context -- a specific time period in 2007 would be nice, as would and driver and OS versions -- but we've been hearing about NVIDIA issues with Vista from the start, and this seems to confirm it. So that's pressure by Intel to support incompatible chipsets, outrage by Dell and Wal-Mart that the Vista Capable program was confusing customers, Microsoft executives saying they had been "personally burnt" by Vista, and now what looks like a huge NVIDIA driver problem -- who knows what else is going to come out of this lawsuit? At this point we're half expecting a photo of Gate signing a Save XP petition.
That huge bundle of damning emails and documents Microsoft produced as part of the Vista-capable lawsuit is full of fascinating information about how the company developed, planned, and launched Vista, but the latest juicy nugget to come out if it suggests that a lot of problems faced by the troubled operating system are actually NVIDIA's fault -- nearly 30% of logged Vista crashes were due to NVIDIA driver problems, according to a Microsoft data included in the bundle. That's some 479,326 hung systems, if you're keeping score at home, and it's in first place by a large margin -- Microsoft clocks in at number two at 17.9 percent, and ATI is fourth with 9.3 percent. Now, the chart doesn't contain a ton of additional information that would help put it in context -- a specific time period in 2007 would be nice, as would and driver and OS versions -- but we've been hearing about NVIDIA issues with Vista from the start, and this seems to confirm it. So that's pressure by Intel to support incompatible chipsets, outrage by Dell and Wal-Mart that the Vista Capable program was confusing customers, Microsoft executives saying they had been "personally burnt" by Vista, and now what looks like a huge NVIDIA driver problem -- who knows what else is going to come out of this lawsuit? At this point we're half expecting a photo of Gate signing a Save XP petition.
TechnoCrime: How Not to Steal an iPod to Look at Naked Girls [Crime]
Everyone here at Giz has been a fourteen-year-old boy before (yes, EVERYONE), we know how tempting it is to want to see your classmates naked. Well, stealing her iPod and then demanding that she film...
Ma.gnolia: OpenID to Save Anti-Spam, Anti-Spam to Save OpenID
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Stop the Financial Double-Standard for Green Cars
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It seems like many people, especially in the big media, are obsessed with whether or not that hybrid/plug in hybrid/electric car/etc will "pay for itself" with fuel savings. The latest example is the (misleading) "The payoff for plug-in hybrids: 95 years?".Sometimes it is specifically claimed that "car X" will save you money, and...
It seems like many people, especially in the big media, are obsessed with whether or not that hybrid/plug in hybrid/electric car/etc will "pay for itself" with fuel savings. The latest example is the (misleading) "The payoff for plug-in hybrids: 95 years?".Sometimes it is specifically claimed that "car X" will save you money, and...
Raspberry And Lime Mascarpone Mousse Cakes
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We celebrated Easter with B.'s family, a small and quiet gathering on the beach, very much unlike the gatherings in my family back home. There was plenty to share and although I offered to bring something for dessert, my sister-in-law said I could take the day off, she'd take care of it. Doesn't she realized that it really does not bother me and I am actually looking forward to making something? I am sure those of you who like to cook and bake have found themselves in this position. When you love food, it's not work, it's a pleasure. Oh well, I still wanted to make something for us and took the opportunity of the "Exchange Dinner" we host each year to make these Raspberry and Lime Mascarpone Mousse Cakes.
What is the "Exchange Dinner" you ask? Well, I came to the US as an exchange student about 11 years ago and I was an exchange student doing my Masters here for one year. Long story short, I met B. here a few weeks before I was supposed to go home "forever" and although I did go home, it was not too long before we each were making a couple of overseas trips "to figure this one out"....As you can see we figured it out pretty fast and I moved here permanently a few months after we met. This little tidbit is essential to the dinner in question: as an exchange student, I remember that one of the holidays that made me the most homesick was Easter (most of us make it home for Christmas). The weather is gorgeous, the flowers are all in bloom, everybody is in a chirpy mood, and we feel a little or a lot out of place. We are filled with mixed emotions: the semester is nearing its end, we'll have to buckle down on our dissertation, pack soon and say goodbye to friends and yet, we realise how much we miss everybody back home and how we wish we could hope over for a nice Eater celebration. Being a professor at the College, B. has the chance to meet the exchange student from my old University and we try to help them get set up the best we can and to give the a crash course on American matters, and the South specifically. I remembered the way I felt over Easter and decided a few years ago to host a little gatherings around that time for the two students who are now in the shoes I wore a while back. So there it is, the "Exchange Dinner".
Nothing screams Spring more than light and fluffy lime mousse studded with raspberries, especially when it is set on a light base of Angel Food Cake. Our guests had never tried that type of cake before so it was quite a lesson in American desserts that they got that night...that was to be expected when you dine with a baker and a History professor, we can be so nerdy sometimes!! The girls loved it and both asked for the recipe to make back home. The desserts itself calls for only four slices cut out from the cake so you might be tempted to buy a box mix or one already made. Resist! There is nothing like homemade Angel Food Cake and it is actually easy and fun to make also. The lime mousse is the same one I used here, inspired by a blogger I have been reading for a long time, Mercotte. When I was unmolding the cakes, I kept thinking I had seen them before on someone's blog, not the exact same one but the same concept and look. Light bulb moment as I was hopping in bed: Bea had made them, also inspired by Mercotte. Ah! Tout s'explique! (it all comes together now). I guess that if the three of us ever meet, she'll know what to make us for dessert!
Raspberry Mousse Cake: serves 4
4 slices angel food cake (1 inch thick), recipe below
Lime Mascarpone Mousse
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 piece raspberry fruit leather (I used these), cut 4 thin strips
1/2 recipe Blood Orange Syrup
Angel Food Cake:
18 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift cake flour and confectioners sugar together and set aside.
In a large clean bowl, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar while beating, and continue to beat until very stiff. Add the lemon extract.
Slowly fold in the flour mixture. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and invert the pan and set it over a longneck bottle (water or wine). It is necessary to invert the pan when making angel food cake because while it cools, the weight of the cake is enough to collapse it. Upside-down, the weight of the cake will keep the cake tall. Elevated cookie cooling racks also work fine, like these. Release the cake from the pan when it is completely cooled.
For the dessert, cut 4 slices from the cake and with a 3 inch pastry ring cut 4 rounds out of the cake slices. Cut strips of parchement paper about 2 inches taller than the rings (you'll need 4 or you can use 3 inch in diameter rings cut from pvc pipe) and place them inside the rings,place the rings on a baking sheet. Put the cake rounds at the bottom and divide the rapsberries among the rings.
Lime Mascarpone Mousse:
1 egg, separated
2 TB sugar
2 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
75 ml. heavy cream
1 tsp. powdered gelatin (1/2 sheet) + 1 Tb water
zest and juice of one lime
Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, stir and let sit to bloom. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the sugar, add 1 egg yolk and whisk until well incorporated. Heat the gelatin for about 10 seconds in the microwave and quickly whisk it in the mascarpone batter. Add the lemon juice and zest. Whip the egg white until stiff, fold into the mascarpone mixture. Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks, and fold into the mascarpone. Divide it evenly and carefully among the pastry rings, trying not to disturb the rapsberries. Let sit in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Slowly remove the rings, and peel off the parchement paper very carefully. Pour some blood orange syrup on top and let it slide down the sides.
To decorate, twist the raspberry fruit strips and anchor them down in the cakes.
I have been watching the Click photography event for some months now but I always seem to miss the deadline. When I read the theme for March was "metal", I did let the idea sprout in my mind for a while, not sure of what I could enter if I decided too. Then, I thought about the most used metal item in my kitchen, my whisk. I am one of those weirdos who like to whisk egg whites (except 18 for angel food cake, let's be honest), whipped cream, batters and such by hand. So here it is my first entry, my whisk for Click, created by Jai and Bee.
We celebrated Easter with B.'s family, a small and quiet gathering on the beach, very much unlike the gatherings in my family back home. There was plenty to share and although I offered to bring something for dessert, my sister-in-law said I could take the day off, she'd take care of it. Doesn't she realized that it really does not bother me and I am actually looking forward to making something? I am sure those of you who like to cook and bake have found themselves in this position. When you love food, it's not work, it's a pleasure. Oh well, I still wanted to make something for us and took the opportunity of the "Exchange Dinner" we host each year to make these Raspberry and Lime Mascarpone Mousse Cakes.
What is the "Exchange Dinner" you ask? Well, I came to the US as an exchange student about 11 years ago and I was an exchange student doing my Masters here for one year. Long story short, I met B. here a few weeks before I was supposed to go home "forever" and although I did go home, it was not too long before we each were making a couple of overseas trips "to figure this one out"....As you can see we figured it out pretty fast and I moved here permanently a few months after we met. This little tidbit is essential to the dinner in question: as an exchange student, I remember that one of the holidays that made me the most homesick was Easter (most of us make it home for Christmas). The weather is gorgeous, the flowers are all in bloom, everybody is in a chirpy mood, and we feel a little or a lot out of place. We are filled with mixed emotions: the semester is nearing its end, we'll have to buckle down on our dissertation, pack soon and say goodbye to friends and yet, we realise how much we miss everybody back home and how we wish we could hope over for a nice Eater celebration. Being a professor at the College, B. has the chance to meet the exchange student from my old University and we try to help them get set up the best we can and to give the a crash course on American matters, and the South specifically. I remembered the way I felt over Easter and decided a few years ago to host a little gatherings around that time for the two students who are now in the shoes I wore a while back. So there it is, the "Exchange Dinner".
Nothing screams Spring more than light and fluffy lime mousse studded with raspberries, especially when it is set on a light base of Angel Food Cake. Our guests had never tried that type of cake before so it was quite a lesson in American desserts that they got that night...that was to be expected when you dine with a baker and a History professor, we can be so nerdy sometimes!! The girls loved it and both asked for the recipe to make back home. The desserts itself calls for only four slices cut out from the cake so you might be tempted to buy a box mix or one already made. Resist! There is nothing like homemade Angel Food Cake and it is actually easy and fun to make also. The lime mousse is the same one I used here, inspired by a blogger I have been reading for a long time, Mercotte. When I was unmolding the cakes, I kept thinking I had seen them before on someone's blog, not the exact same one but the same concept and look. Light bulb moment as I was hopping in bed: Bea had made them, also inspired by Mercotte. Ah! Tout s'explique! (it all comes together now). I guess that if the three of us ever meet, she'll know what to make us for dessert!
Raspberry Mousse Cake: serves 4
4 slices angel food cake (1 inch thick), recipe below
Lime Mascarpone Mousse
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 piece raspberry fruit leather (I used these), cut 4 thin strips
1/2 recipe Blood Orange Syrup
Angel Food Cake:
18 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift cake flour and confectioners sugar together and set aside.
In a large clean bowl, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar while beating, and continue to beat until very stiff. Add the lemon extract.
Slowly fold in the flour mixture. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and invert the pan and set it over a longneck bottle (water or wine). It is necessary to invert the pan when making angel food cake because while it cools, the weight of the cake is enough to collapse it. Upside-down, the weight of the cake will keep the cake tall. Elevated cookie cooling racks also work fine, like these. Release the cake from the pan when it is completely cooled.
For the dessert, cut 4 slices from the cake and with a 3 inch pastry ring cut 4 rounds out of the cake slices. Cut strips of parchement paper about 2 inches taller than the rings (you'll need 4 or you can use 3 inch in diameter rings cut from pvc pipe) and place them inside the rings,place the rings on a baking sheet. Put the cake rounds at the bottom and divide the rapsberries among the rings.
Lime Mascarpone Mousse:
1 egg, separated
2 TB sugar
2 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
75 ml. heavy cream
1 tsp. powdered gelatin (1/2 sheet) + 1 Tb water
zest and juice of one lime
Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, stir and let sit to bloom. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the sugar, add 1 egg yolk and whisk until well incorporated. Heat the gelatin for about 10 seconds in the microwave and quickly whisk it in the mascarpone batter. Add the lemon juice and zest. Whip the egg white until stiff, fold into the mascarpone mixture. Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks, and fold into the mascarpone. Divide it evenly and carefully among the pastry rings, trying not to disturb the rapsberries. Let sit in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Slowly remove the rings, and peel off the parchement paper very carefully. Pour some blood orange syrup on top and let it slide down the sides.
To decorate, twist the raspberry fruit strips and anchor them down in the cakes.
I have been watching the Click photography event for some months now but I always seem to miss the deadline. When I read the theme for March was "metal", I did let the idea sprout in my mind for a while, not sure of what I could enter if I decided too. Then, I thought about the most used metal item in my kitchen, my whisk. I am one of those weirdos who like to whisk egg whites (except 18 for angel food cake, let's be honest), whipped cream, batters and such by hand. So here it is my first entry, my whisk for Click, created by Jai and Bee.
Honoring César Chávez
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March 31 is the birthday of the history-making Latino activist and farm worker César Chávez. Chávez spent decades working to protect both the earth and workers from toxic pesticides.Chávez, founder of the United Farm Workers, was one of the first leaders to speak out for justice for such workers, a group that had long been without protection or benefits. Thanks to his leadership, the lives of thousands of farm workers were improved and communities made safer....
March 31 is the birthday of the history-making Latino activist and farm worker César Chávez. Chávez spent decades working to protect both the earth and workers from toxic pesticides.Chávez, founder of the United Farm Workers, was one of the first leaders to speak out for justice for such workers, a group that had long been without protection or benefits. Thanks to his leadership, the lives of thousands of farm workers were improved and communities made safer....
Apple patent apps reveal plans for iPhone as "lifestyle companion"
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While it doesn't exactly come as much of a surprise, it seems that Apple has plenty more goodies in mind for the iPhone (and, presumably, the iPod touch), with a recent batch of no less than six patent applications revealing some of its plans to turn the device into what it describes as a "lifestyle companion." In this case, that rather vague term refers to what is effectively an upgrade to the Nike+iPod system, with the iPhone's accelerometer and other built-in capabilities also coming into play in addition to the usual external sensors. It doesn't stop with workouts, however, with the patent applications also indicating plans for a diet coach of sorts, which could even make use of the iPhone's camera to scan bar codes on products. Those components would also of course all work together, with the system able to suggest workouts based on your diet and physical condition and vice versa. Of course, these being patent applications, there's no indication as to when we might actually see such a a system, but it sure seems a good deal more likely than some of Apple's other ideas.
While it doesn't exactly come as much of a surprise, it seems that Apple has plenty more goodies in mind for the iPhone (and, presumably, the iPod touch), with a recent batch of no less than six patent applications revealing some of its plans to turn the device into what it describes as a "lifestyle companion." In this case, that rather vague term refers to what is effectively an upgrade to the Nike+iPod system, with the iPhone's accelerometer and other built-in capabilities also coming into play in addition to the usual external sensors. It doesn't stop with workouts, however, with the patent applications also indicating plans for a diet coach of sorts, which could even make use of the iPhone's camera to scan bar codes on products. Those components would also of course all work together, with the system able to suggest workouts based on your diet and physical condition and vice versa. Of course, these being patent applications, there's no indication as to when we might actually see such a a system, but it sure seems a good deal more likely than some of Apple's other ideas.
Final Cut Studio saves filmmaker “tens of thousands of dollarsâ€
Independent filmmaker Bob Radler has two very different documentaries currently in production: “Turn It Up!†and “SS United States: Lady in Waiting,†reports Jim Dalrymple (macworld.com). While both films offered rather unique challenges, Radler overcame every one â€" thanks to his MacBook Pro and Final Cut Studio. “Final Cut Pro was a godsend,†said Radler. “Using Final Cut Studio literally saved me tens of thousands of dollars.†In fact, he says “he couldn’t have made the movies as efficiently and economically as he did without Final Cut Studio and his Macs.â€
EZ Commander Media Center Remote Features Trackball, 1980s Beige Color Scheme [Gadgets]
Ignoring the retro styling of this EZ Commander remote, it's got one remarkable feature that makes the whole five-buck-design worthwhile: a trackball. Even though trackballs went out of style for...
FCC reveals Multi-Touchpad for Eee PC 900
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