Thursday, March 12, 2009
In World of Warcraft: The Undermine, you will be adventuring to the homeland of the Goblins. The future new expansion to be released in last quarter of 2010!
New continent: Kezan; New playable race: Goblins; New class: Barbarian; and much, much more!
"A popular possibility for the next expansion after Wrath of the Lich King is either The Undermine or an entire great sea expansion, with The Undermine being one area of the expansion. Undermine is the center of goblin civilization."
*~*~*
20 months after acquiring Internet phone services startup GrandCentral for around $50 million, Google's finally re-packaged its technology into a Google-branded product. It's called Google Voice and it launches today.
Google Voice is currently only available to GrandCentral subsribers. But when it opens to the general public in a few weeks, here's what Google Voice will do:
Will Google Voice make money? Charging for international calls, it already earns enough to pay for itself, GrandCentral cofounder and Google product manager Vincent Paquet told the New York Times.
Eventually the service could compete with Skype. But not yet, says RBC Capital Markets analyst Ross Sandler.
"Skype is light years ahead in terms of video, simultaneous chat and voice, and the installed base is huge," Sandler told the Times. "I don't think they have anything to worry about."
*~*~*
A team of MIT scientists have invented a new battery technology that is able to recharge in mere seconds. Best of all, this breakthrough simply enhances traditional lithium batteries - the kind found throughout all manner of rechargeable tech, from mobile phones and MP3 players, up to electric cars - so there's a much better chance of it actually reaching our pockets in the near future.
The MIT boffins discovered that changes to the surface of the lithium iron phosphate electrode allowed it to absorb ions 100 times faster than normal. The upshot: ultra-fast charging.
The report of their findings was published in Nature. "The ability to charge and discharge batteries in a matter of seconds rather than hours may open up new technological applications and induce lifestyle changes," it concluded.
Finally, we'll be able to crack a shiny new mobile out of its box and play with it straight away without having to wait forever for the battery to charge up. Fantastic.
*~*~*
Dell today unveiled the company's first all-in-one PC to bear the Studio badge. The Studio One 19 is more consciously fashionable than the XPS One and has the same basic "hanging" design concept as the iMac. Like the Studio Hybrid, though, Dell lets users customize the Studio One's colors (here the outer frame and wireless input devices). It centers on an 18.5-inch display with a 16:9 ratio, 1366x768 resolution that optionally supports multi-touch input for media playback as well as image, music and video editing.
New continent: Kezan; New playable race: Goblins; New class: Barbarian; and much, much more!
"A popular possibility for the next expansion after Wrath of the Lich King is either The Undermine or an entire great sea expansion, with The Undermine being one area of the expansion. Undermine is the center of goblin civilization."
*~*~*
20 months after acquiring Internet phone services startup GrandCentral for around $50 million, Google's finally re-packaged its technology into a Google-branded product. It's called Google Voice and it launches today.
Google Voice is currently only available to GrandCentral subsribers. But when it opens to the general public in a few weeks, here's what Google Voice will do:
Will Google Voice make money? Charging for international calls, it already earns enough to pay for itself, GrandCentral cofounder and Google product manager Vincent Paquet told the New York Times.
Eventually the service could compete with Skype. But not yet, says RBC Capital Markets analyst Ross Sandler.
"Skype is light years ahead in terms of video, simultaneous chat and voice, and the installed base is huge," Sandler told the Times. "I don't think they have anything to worry about."
*~*~*
A team of MIT scientists have invented a new battery technology that is able to recharge in mere seconds. Best of all, this breakthrough simply enhances traditional lithium batteries - the kind found throughout all manner of rechargeable tech, from mobile phones and MP3 players, up to electric cars - so there's a much better chance of it actually reaching our pockets in the near future.
The MIT boffins discovered that changes to the surface of the lithium iron phosphate electrode allowed it to absorb ions 100 times faster than normal. The upshot: ultra-fast charging.
The report of their findings was published in Nature. "The ability to charge and discharge batteries in a matter of seconds rather than hours may open up new technological applications and induce lifestyle changes," it concluded.
Finally, we'll be able to crack a shiny new mobile out of its box and play with it straight away without having to wait forever for the battery to charge up. Fantastic.
*~*~*
Dell today unveiled the company's first all-in-one PC to bear the Studio badge. The Studio One 19 is more consciously fashionable than the XPS One and has the same basic "hanging" design concept as the iMac. Like the Studio Hybrid, though, Dell lets users customize the Studio One's colors (here the outer frame and wireless input devices). It centers on an 18.5-inch display with a 16:9 ratio, 1366x768 resolution that optionally supports multi-touch input for media playback as well as image, music and video editing.
Labels: battery charger, Dell, google, skype, Studio One 19, WoW
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Microsoft SideWinder X8 Mouse, available on store shelves this week, offers a best-in-class tracking engine with Microsoft BlueTrack Technology and wireless freedom built for lag-free play. The newest mouse to join the SideWinder line, the SideWinder X8 offers the best frame rate, speed and acceleration on the market and a tracking range from 250 dots per inch (dpi) to 4,000 dpi, giving gamers ultimate control and precision.The SideWinder X8 Mouse offers the following top features to deliver ultimate wireless gaming performance:
- BlueTrack Technology. The world's most advanced tracking technology for gaming, with image processing of 13,000 frames per second, 75g maximum acceleration and 120 inches per second maximum speed.
- 2.4GHz wireless. The device is built for lag-free play with virtually no latency.
- Play and charge. Get up to 30 hours of active gaming on a single charge, or use the play-and-charge cable for nonstop action. The winding cord management system offers easy charging - simply unwrap the cord from around the storage box and snap it onto the underside of the mouse.
*~*~*
Apple today announced the public beta of Safari 4, the world's fastest and most innovative web browser for Mac and Windows PCs. The Nitro engine in Safari 4 runs JavaScript 4.2 times faster than Safari 3.* Innovative new features that make browsing more intuitive and enjoyable include Top Sites, for a stunning visual preview of frequently visited pages; Full History Search, to search through titles, web addresses and the complete text of recently viewed pages; Cover Flow, to easily flip through web history or bookmarks; and Tabs on Top, to make tabbed browsing easier and more intuitive.
"Apple created Safari to bring innovation, speed and open standards back into web browsers, and today it takes another big step forward," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Safari 4 is the fastest and most efficient browser for Mac and Windows, with great integration of HTML 5 and CSS 3 web standards that enables the next generation of interactive web applications."
Safari 4 is built on the world's most advanced browser technologies including the new Nitro JavaScript engine that executes JavaScript up to 30 times faster than IE 7 and more than three times faster than Firefox 3. Safari quickly loads HTML web pages three times faster than IE 7 and almost three times faster than Firefox 3.
*~*~*
Google denied its Google Earth ocean-floor mapping software had unearthed the mythical sunken island of Atlantis.
Walter Smith of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and David Sandwell of UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, two scientists who helped gather some of the ocean-floor data in Google Earth, cleared it all up in a post on the company's official blog.
"Some have speculated that these are the plow marks of seafloor farming by aliens," the post said of the undersea grid pattern off the coast of northwest Africa that had sparked the speculation. "One theory that's gained more traction is that these marks might be the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis. If that were the case, some of the city blocks would have to be over eight miles long--that's about fifty times the size of a city block in New York City."
"These marks are what we call 'ship tracks,'" it explained. "You see, it's actually quite hard to measure the depth of the ocean. Sunlight, lasers, and other electromagnetic radiation can travel less than 100 feet below the surface, yet the typical depth in the ocean is more than two and a half miles. Sound waves are more effective. By measuring the time it takes for sound to travel from a ship to the sea floor and back, you can get an idea of how far away the sea floor is. Since this process--known as echosounding--only maps a strip of the sea floor under the ship, the maps it produces often show the path the ship took, hence the 'ship tracks.'"
*~*~*
Taking the lessons learned from the development of hydrogen-powered cars and applying them on a larger scale, New Holland Agriculture has developed the impressive NH2, the world's first hydrogen-powered tractor.
The NH2 was developed as part of New Holland Agriculture's Energy Independent Farm concept, a framework for future agriculture in which farmers produce their own compressed hydrogen from water using electricity produced by wind farms, solar panels, or biomass and biogas processes situated on the farm.
Labels: Apple, browser, concept tractor, google, google earth, Microsoft, mouse, safari
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Nokia signed a loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to the tune of $623.9 million. Why the sudden need for cash?
According to Reuters, the five-year loan will be used in part to "finance software research and development (R&D) projects Nokia is undertaking during 2009-2011 to make Symbian-based smartphones more competitive."
*~*~*
Didn't Gateway go bankrupt?
Gateway has a full line of notebooks that come in all sizes. The company is also closely related to Acer, which has the most popular netbook on the market with its Aspire One. Last year Gateway launched a pair of new notebook lines called the MC and MD series. The difference was a scant 0.6-inches in screen size with the MC line using a 16-inch LCD and the MD using a 15.4-inch screen.
The MC and MD machines had the same chassis design and Gateway has launched a new notebook line called the TC series that uses the same chassis design with a smaller 14-inch screen. The notebook is low priced at $649.99.
*~*~*
Hewlett-Packard workers fired up their PCs this morning only to find a long memo from Mark Hurd explaining why he was hitting them with wide-ranging pay cuts in an effort to prevent further job losses at the computer vendor.
The move followed HP's first quarter earnings report yesterday in which it coughed to a double digit dip in printer, server, and PC sales.
HP CEO Hurd told employees yesterday that no more jobs would be axed for the foreseeable future, but instead applied salary reductions across the board.
He said that he would take a 20 per cent base pay cut, presumably as a show of solidarity with his workforce.
*~*~*
The Obama administration has apparently opted to forbid Google and other search engines from indexing any content on the newly launched Recovery.gov.
Is this even more evidence that the administration's much-publicized commitment to transparency is simply hype?
Recovery.gov, which went live Tuesday, is set to act as a central clearinghouse for information related to the newly signed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The legislation is designed to stimulate the flagging U.S. economy.
The site's robots.txt file has just a few lines of text:
# Deny all search bots, web spiders
User-agent: *
Disallow: /
Shameful.
Labels: cell phone, Gateway, google, Hewlett Packard, nokia, president barack obama
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Uh oh. Up to 40 to lose jobs as Google scraps radio ads.
Google's radio advertising business has become the newest project that didn't pass muster in Google's new financially rigorous era, and up to 40 employees will lose jobs as a result, the company said Thursday. However, the company isn't completely withdrawing from the market, saying it's begun exploring ads for streaming audio instead.
"While we've devoted substantial resources to developing these products and learned a lot along the way, we haven't had the impact we hoped for. So we have decided to exit the broadcast radio business and focus our efforts in online streaming audio," said Susan Wojcicki, Google's vice president of product management, in a blog post Thursday. "We will phase out the existing Google Audio Ads and AdSense for Audio products and plan to sell the Google Radio Automation business, the software that automates broadcast radio programming."
*~*~*
Disney World's specialty is fantasy, but a new attraction that opened this weekend deals in real-life dreams.
The American Idol Experience, a near-exact replica of the theater the American Idol TV show uses, will give singers a chance to audition, perform and maybe even get a spot to try out for the real Idol.
If the singing is as polished as the set, it should be another Mickey triumph.
If the singing is bad, no Disney magic will be able to fix it.
*~*~*
Fraunhofer has developed a dash that displays your location and the surrounding area in 3D, in real time. The system uses cameras to keep track of the location of your eyes, so the depth imaging effect can be achieved without using those funny glasses. In addition to the GPS, the dashboard only displays the information that is most relevant to the driver at any time -- fuel gauge, tire pressure, route information or the title of the song can be displayed, depending on user preferences. It's only a prototype at this point.
I am sure it would make me car sick.
*~*~*
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is all about energy efficiency, but that doesn't mean boring. The new Energy Efficient Series sound system from Bose is 30 percent smaller, 40 percent lighter and uses 50 percent less energy than conventional Bose sound systems, company reps say.
*~*~*
Japanese cell phone maker KDDI has teamed up with Hitachi to one-up your iPhone as the iPhone can't manage 3D content. The Hitachi WOOO H001 will show you 3D versions of your phone's still images and video.
But that's not all, the phone also will give you a 5 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, microSD slot, and a 1Seg TV tuner. No word on price, but the handset should hit the Asian market by spring.
Sounds like an infomercial, doesn't it? Lol.
Google's radio advertising business has become the newest project that didn't pass muster in Google's new financially rigorous era, and up to 40 employees will lose jobs as a result, the company said Thursday. However, the company isn't completely withdrawing from the market, saying it's begun exploring ads for streaming audio instead.
"While we've devoted substantial resources to developing these products and learned a lot along the way, we haven't had the impact we hoped for. So we have decided to exit the broadcast radio business and focus our efforts in online streaming audio," said Susan Wojcicki, Google's vice president of product management, in a blog post Thursday. "We will phase out the existing Google Audio Ads and AdSense for Audio products and plan to sell the Google Radio Automation business, the software that automates broadcast radio programming."
*~*~*
Disney World's specialty is fantasy, but a new attraction that opened this weekend deals in real-life dreams.
The American Idol Experience, a near-exact replica of the theater the American Idol TV show uses, will give singers a chance to audition, perform and maybe even get a spot to try out for the real Idol.
If the singing is as polished as the set, it should be another Mickey triumph.
If the singing is bad, no Disney magic will be able to fix it.
*~*~*
Fraunhofer has developed a dash that displays your location and the surrounding area in 3D, in real time. The system uses cameras to keep track of the location of your eyes, so the depth imaging effect can be achieved without using those funny glasses. In addition to the GPS, the dashboard only displays the information that is most relevant to the driver at any time -- fuel gauge, tire pressure, route information or the title of the song can be displayed, depending on user preferences. It's only a prototype at this point.I am sure it would make me car sick.
*~*~*
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is all about energy efficiency, but that doesn't mean boring. The new Energy Efficient Series sound system from Bose is 30 percent smaller, 40 percent lighter and uses 50 percent less energy than conventional Bose sound systems, company reps say.
*~*~*
Japanese cell phone maker KDDI has teamed up with Hitachi to one-up your iPhone as the iPhone can't manage 3D content. The Hitachi WOOO H001 will show you 3D versions of your phone's still images and video.
But that's not all, the phone also will give you a 5 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, microSD slot, and a 1Seg TV tuner. No word on price, but the handset should hit the Asian market by spring.
Sounds like an infomercial, doesn't it? Lol.
Labels: 3D, american idol, cell phone, chevy, disney, Fraunhofer, google
Saturday, February 7, 2009
In December 2008, an Iraqi reporter decided it would be a good idea to throw his shoes at George W. Bush.
Apparently Apple doesn't think the incident was nearly as funny. According to Mashable, a developer based in Pakistan submitted an application called MyShoe. MyShoe is a simple accelerometer based application that allows users to virtually throw a shoe at the former president. Apple denied the application placement at the App Store and responded to the developer stating:
"We cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures."
The creator refuted and said this discriminates against popular public opinion. Hahahahaha.
*~*~*
Would you like to read a February 5, 2009 press briefing on the stimulus package?
With joblessness rising and the U.S. economic recession deepening, Democratic senators and a handful of moderate Republicans reached a compromise late Friday on a scaled-back $780-billion economic stimulus plan.
The deal, slashed by more than $100 billion from earlier estimates to win a few Republican votes.
"We are pleased the process is moving forward and we are closer to getting Americans a plan to create millions of jobs and get people back to work," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we're equal to the task before us," the President says in this morning's Weekly Address. "Let's show them that we are."
With the United States in the grip of the worst economic crisis in more than 70 years -- a report on Friday showed nearly 600,000 jobs were lost in January -- Obama has demanded that a bill be put on his desk by February 16.
*~*~*
ESPN.com has launched many new college football widgets that offer scores, stats, and news.
Visit the ESPN Widget Center.
*~*~*
Google Latitude is a feature in Google Maps for mobile and iGoogle that allows you to share your location with your friends and family. While not pinpointing your exact location, it gives you a good idea of where your friends are at a given time.
Using your Google account, you can opt into the feature, and then invite friends and family to join Google Latitude. Once they accept, you will see their profile picture appear on a map through your mobile device or your desktop PC. Google will also give you directions to their location on the map.
Apparently Apple doesn't think the incident was nearly as funny. According to Mashable, a developer based in Pakistan submitted an application called MyShoe. MyShoe is a simple accelerometer based application that allows users to virtually throw a shoe at the former president. Apple denied the application placement at the App Store and responded to the developer stating:
"We cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures."
The creator refuted and said this discriminates against popular public opinion. Hahahahaha.
*~*~*
Would you like to read a February 5, 2009 press briefing on the stimulus package?
With joblessness rising and the U.S. economic recession deepening, Democratic senators and a handful of moderate Republicans reached a compromise late Friday on a scaled-back $780-billion economic stimulus plan.
The deal, slashed by more than $100 billion from earlier estimates to win a few Republican votes.
"We are pleased the process is moving forward and we are closer to getting Americans a plan to create millions of jobs and get people back to work," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we're equal to the task before us," the President says in this morning's Weekly Address. "Let's show them that we are."
With the United States in the grip of the worst economic crisis in more than 70 years -- a report on Friday showed nearly 600,000 jobs were lost in January -- Obama has demanded that a bill be put on his desk by February 16.
*~*~*
ESPN.com has launched many new college football widgets that offer scores, stats, and news.
Visit the ESPN Widget Center.
*~*~*
Google Latitude is a feature in Google Maps for mobile and iGoogle that allows you to share your location with your friends and family. While not pinpointing your exact location, it gives you a good idea of where your friends are at a given time.
Using your Google account, you can opt into the feature, and then invite friends and family to join Google Latitude. Once they accept, you will see their profile picture appear on a map through your mobile device or your desktop PC. Google will also give you directions to their location on the map.
Labels: Apple, economy, google, google latitude, iPhone, iphone app, president barack obama, stimulus, widgets
Friday, February 6, 2009
I know we're in an age where we'll be seeing more and more lifelike robots and dolls and such, but I still think it's all incredibly creepy.And this particular tidbit has me even more freaked out.
Meet the Little Island Custom Robot Dolls.
The idea is that this plush looking bot can replace your beloved, as they can be designed to freakishly mimic their features. The doll-bot has a 500MHz processor include, so it's not just a pretty face, and you can use it for Skype conversations.
A Japanese company called Little Island will sell you a $2,215 robot based on a picture you send. So it's expensive AND you'll have to wait over six weeks after sending in your picture to receive it.
*~*~*
Google has adapted its Book Search for the iPhone and its own Android platform, it announced on Thursday. It joins a growing group of network operators and content providers that are putting books on mobile phones.
The new service opens up mobile access to 1.5 million public domain books in the U.S., and half a million outside the U.S., Google said.
*~*~*
New York-based Loudwater Labs has sold the assets of its online personal finance management application Thrive to Tree.com; the company behind services such as the formerly IAC-owned LendingTree and RealEstate.com. This means that the publicly listed Tree.com now has a very good resource in its hands as well as sufficient reach to give Mint and other personal finance management tools like Wesabe, Geezeo and Buxfer a good run for their money.
Labels: google, iPhone, robots, stocks, thrive
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Good grief, I thought all the different Windows Vista options were a pain in the neck, but with Windows 7 there will be even more!
* Windows 7 Starter
* Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging markets)
* Windows 7 Home Premium
* Windows 7 Professional
* Windows 7 Enterprise
* Windows 7 Ultimate
Good luck.
*~*~*
Using a Wi-Fi connection for voice calls is not a new idea , as we're currently enjoying the Truphone app on the iPod Touch and the specially created Skype phones from 3, but this is the first time T-Mobile have chosen to dip their toes into this treacherous pool. They've updated their Shadow handset, which will now be capable of using a Wi-Fi signal. This allows you to make unlimited calls over Wi-Fi networks, moving away from the standard cellular network.
*~*~*
Google announced its "Doodle 4 Google 2009" competition Tuesday. According to the company, all Kindergarten through 12th grade U.S. students can design a Google logo based on the theme, "What I wish for the World." Applications will be accepted until March 31 and the winner's doodle will be displayed on Google's homepage on May 21. The winner will receive a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for their school. Google will also award a school district $10,000 for the "greatest quality participation."
*~*~*
Do your kids need a "screen time" manager? Parents don't have to worry about just too much TV viewing these days, they also have to worry about just how long their child is glued in front of their computer screen.
Hook the gadget up to your computer. With each child, you can pick and choose how long you want them to be able to be on the computer. It can track hours per day and hours per week, as well as being able to recognize periods of time when they’re not allowed on the computer at all. Once they’ve reached the time limit, it shuts off the device.
* Windows 7 Starter
* Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging markets)
* Windows 7 Home Premium
* Windows 7 Professional
* Windows 7 Enterprise
* Windows 7 Ultimate
Good luck.
*~*~*
Using a Wi-Fi connection for voice calls is not a new idea , as we're currently enjoying the Truphone app on the iPod Touch and the specially created Skype phones from 3, but this is the first time T-Mobile have chosen to dip their toes into this treacherous pool. They've updated their Shadow handset, which will now be capable of using a Wi-Fi signal. This allows you to make unlimited calls over Wi-Fi networks, moving away from the standard cellular network.
*~*~*
Google announced its "Doodle 4 Google 2009" competition Tuesday. According to the company, all Kindergarten through 12th grade U.S. students can design a Google logo based on the theme, "What I wish for the World." Applications will be accepted until March 31 and the winner's doodle will be displayed on Google's homepage on May 21. The winner will receive a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for their school. Google will also award a school district $10,000 for the "greatest quality participation."*~*~*
Do your kids need a "screen time" manager? Parents don't have to worry about just too much TV viewing these days, they also have to worry about just how long their child is glued in front of their computer screen.
Hook the gadget up to your computer. With each child, you can pick and choose how long you want them to be able to be on the computer. It can track hours per day and hours per week, as well as being able to recognize periods of time when they’re not allowed on the computer at all. Once they’ve reached the time limit, it shuts off the device.
Labels: doodle 4 google, Gadgets, google, kids, truphone, windows 7
Friday, January 30, 2009
GDrive, the mythical, all-encompassing online storage solution that will practically render most of your hardware obsolete. At least that's what the legend says.
Talk of the ever-elusive GDrive first appeared in March 2006, when Google dropped a mention into a PowerPoint presentation intended for a gathering of industry analysts. Eventually withdrawn by Google - who said it was not intended for publication - the PowerPoint revealed a plan to store "100% of User Data."
And now, GDrive's function is revealed in a few lines of code in a file used by Google Pack. Now rumors are saying it is nearing a release. And Google continues to take over the world.
*~*~*
TiVo will use its audience measurement tools to provide overnight industry reports regarding the most popular moments that occur during Super Bowl XLIII. This is the seventh year that TiVo will be able to provide calculations on how viewers responded to the game plays, commercials, and entertainment that occurs during the broadcast in the quickest manner possible.
*~*~*
Windows only: File search utility Last Changed Files finds the last 100 modified files on your drive, so you can find the file you just saved but can't remember where.
Using Last Changed Files-which requires no installation-is as simple as launching and waiting while it searches through your drive to find the last 100 modified files. Your best bet is to use the built-in exclude feature to prevent the application from searching through temporary or system files, or modify the INI file with a list of exclusions if you plan to use it a lot. This application could be very useful the next time you save a file and then can't remember where you put it-if you haven't modified 100 files since then.
Talk of the ever-elusive GDrive first appeared in March 2006, when Google dropped a mention into a PowerPoint presentation intended for a gathering of industry analysts. Eventually withdrawn by Google - who said it was not intended for publication - the PowerPoint revealed a plan to store "100% of User Data."
And now, GDrive's function is revealed in a few lines of code in a file used by Google Pack. Now rumors are saying it is nearing a release. And Google continues to take over the world.
*~*~*
TiVo will use its audience measurement tools to provide overnight industry reports regarding the most popular moments that occur during Super Bowl XLIII. This is the seventh year that TiVo will be able to provide calculations on how viewers responded to the game plays, commercials, and entertainment that occurs during the broadcast in the quickest manner possible.
*~*~*
Windows only: File search utility Last Changed Files finds the last 100 modified files on your drive, so you can find the file you just saved but can't remember where.
Using Last Changed Files-which requires no installation-is as simple as launching and waiting while it searches through your drive to find the last 100 modified files. Your best bet is to use the built-in exclude feature to prevent the application from searching through temporary or system files, or modify the INI file with a list of exclusions if you plan to use it a lot. This application could be very useful the next time you save a file and then can't remember where you put it-if you haven't modified 100 files since then.
Labels: file finder, gdrive, google, tivo
Friday, December 19, 2008
When you're desperate to find a way to drag yourself out of bed, you might look into this quirky alarm clock. It's sure to keep your mornings interesting.When it's time to wake up you'll hear a count down and then the rocket will shoot into the air. In order to make the alarm stop going off, you have to grab the rocket and put it back. After rushing around to grab it, you'll likely be wide awake and ready to get ready for work or school. Luckily these are available in the UK as well as the US from two different vendors. You can get it in the US on Perpetual Kid for $24.99.
*~*~*
Pandora has registered its 20 millionth user since they began offering subscriptions which allow unlimited listening. The three-year old music streaming service is trying to hold its own despite tough economics and recent layoffs.
Its music-recommendation engine pumps out personalized radio stations over the Web, and its iPhone app remains one the top free apps on iTunes (currently No. 21).
*~*~*
Any ideas about this one?
Three of four undersea cables that route internet traffic from Asia to North America have inexplicably been cut, meaning that your international WoW server may be a bit slow this evening. The good news is that this fiasco clearly hasn't affected you yet. The AP has confirmed via Egypt's communications ministry that the cables have indeed been severed, causing massive outages in select portions of the world.
*~*~*
Apparently a Japanese civilian group, The Campaign Against Surveillance Society, is asking Google to shut down its Street View offering. This is hardly the first time that people have complained about Street View, but, honestly, it's difficult to see how this is a "surveillance" issue or a violation of anyone's privacy.
Labels: alarm, google, international, internet, pandora, rocket
Friday, November 14, 2008
Not sure if I'd try this on a plane or a train, but Google is planning on offering an application for the iPhone which will allow people to search using the sound of their voice rather than the pad of their finger.
Google is expected to release a free iPhone application today that lets iPhone owners ask to find local businesses, get driving directions, ask basic search queries ("What's the capitol of Belgium?"), and displays them on-screen "within seconds on a fast wireless network," according to the New York Times.
The sound of our voice is converted to a digital file and sent to Google's servers, which try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.
The search results, which may be displayed in just seconds on a fast wireless network, will at times include local information, taking advantage of iPhone features that let it determine its location.
Google is expected to release a free iPhone application today that lets iPhone owners ask to find local businesses, get driving directions, ask basic search queries ("What's the capitol of Belgium?"), and displays them on-screen "within seconds on a fast wireless network," according to the New York Times.
The sound of our voice is converted to a digital file and sent to Google's servers, which try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.
The search results, which may be displayed in just seconds on a fast wireless network, will at times include local information, taking advantage of iPhone features that let it determine its location.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
So is Google's answer to what became page rank chaos?Google Labs has released and new layer for in their "Google Trends" it will show sites related to the domain name that is entered, along with that it will display searches in relation to the domain name and if you are signed in; also display an estimated traffic. Not just that but it will also plot line graphs by letting you enter up to five domain names at once.
The idea used here is that Google has grabbed its numbers by combining sources like search traffic, anonymous Google Analytics figures and third party marketing day giving it an extensive usability.
This brings Google into a direct competition with the already existing public traffic services namely; Alexa.
Something needed to be done. Google has had this site ranked with a big fat ZERO for over a year. At one point it was ranked 4, without my changing anything at all it dropped from 4 to 0. Of course I pestered and e-mailed and asked WHY? but I never received a response from anyone at Google. They are like those surgeons who lack bedside manner. Well, except they didn't repair scrink.com either.
In checking out scrink.com at the labs I found NOTHING. See for yourself.
So they get a big fat ZERO from me, too.
Labels: analytics, google, trends
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hello! Why didn't anyone tell me about Google Moon? All this time I have heard people's thoughts on Google Earth, which really is a cool app, but Google Moon is WAY cooler than that. You can get maps of Earth anywhere. But how many places can you get a map of the moon?"Google Moon is an extension of Google Maps and Google Earth that, courtesy of NASA imagery (thanks, guys!), enables you to surf the Moon's surface and check out the exact spots that the Apollo astronauts made their landings."
IN short, all of you fellow geeks out there who sometimes wish you could up and leave Earth and take a vacation on the moon. Now you can! Well, no you can't, but at least now you can have more visuals of what it would be like. Quiet and dark.
It is more than just interactive mappage though, it has a little history and science lesson attached. You can read about the Apollo Series and chart it out. Pretty snifty if I do say so myself.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Ah Google grid my how you have grown over the last nine years.From search engine to google gadget ads, google docs, google presentations, google talk, google e-mail, google earth and google sky. I'm sure I am missing some things, but truly how does one keep up with all the googling that happens!
Today may be Google's 9th birthday and they definitely have grown as a company, brand and Internet entity, but they are always looking for more. Molly Peterson from Bloomberg tells us that today Google will be in court defending a $3.1 billion purchase of DoubleClick Inc. The argument from Google is that the purchase will boost competition in online advertising. I wasn't aware there was competition. I mean doesn't Google already have AdSense and AdWords?
So who is the opposition in the case? Microsoft of course! And oddly enough AT&T is in Microsoft's corner. "Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, and AT&T Inc., the biggest U.S. telephone company, have said the transaction would let Mountain View, California-based Google dominate the online ad market."
Jumping from court room to court room, Google is currently being ripped apart over their copyright rules in regards to Google Videos. "A US-based copyright watchdog has sunk its teeth into Google by sending a report alleging copyright violations on Google Video to members of Congress." Ohhh! Shame, shame! But come on folks, lets get real, there is just NO WAY for anyone (even Google) to keep up with all the video uploads that happen during any given cyberspace minute. So go ahead and point your finger at Google saying they are hosting pirated movies, it's absurd and the more fighting over such things will only mean shutting down online video uploads completely. So unless y'all have the money to host files of that size on your own then you need to BE QUIET!
It's also rumored that both Google and Microsoft are trying to get a piece of the Facebook action. I can see it now... Facebook being overridden with horribly designed advertisements just like MySpace. Another social network doomed to go down the tubes.
More Google in the news today is related to the percentage of Internet searches come through Google as opposed to Yahoo or MSN. Google conducted 56 percent of all U.S. Internet searches in August.
And last but not least is the page rank gossip. Is Google really getting rid of page rank? The rumors began because for the last several months, Google has not updated their page ranks. This is the longest span of time that has ever elapsed since page rank became the way to tell just whose website was "the best." We'll just have to see what happens. My guess is they are changing the algorithm involved in calculating the rank, but one never knows. Page Rank is the thing Google is most secretive about, probably because it is the most coveted of their tools.
Labels: google
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Once upon a time we all used AOL. We dialed in on our modems and waited while the scratchy sound finally connected. "You've got mail," were the coolest sounds ever and there aren't many other three word sentences that can boost your ego so quickly. Especially audio clips said in a robot voice.
Buddy lists were the MySpace Top 10 and you could attach wavs to your e-mail, feeling all special and cool. How many times did you click the heart on a page to add it to your AOL favorite bookmarks.
Now, a dozen years later most people have cable internet, some are switching to fiber wires. E-mail inboxes fill at fast paces with hundreds of e-mails (mostly spam) and you can add friends into messengers no matter who they are signed up with. Throw an MP3 up on your home page and have people download it rather than spend 30 minutes trying to get the attachment from their e-mail client.
And who is monopolizing this era of technology? That's easy, it's Google.
You have gTalk, gMail, gDocs, gSpreadsheets and now gPresentations. Google has made it easy to collaborate, correspond, real-time edit and present slide shows and other types of presentations. With ease you can publish presentations to the public or individuals of your choice with e-vites.
No need to save a Power Point to your laptop and then lug it to your next conference meeting. Now you can log into any computer and grab it from your Google account.
Let's just hope the Google grid never goes down...or becomes a paid commodity.
Labels: google
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
That's it.**Throws hands up in air**
Google is great and all, but they are definitely trying to take over the world.
Imagine it if you will...Google is the Brain and we are all Pinky.
The Google Brain: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?What is Google Brain plotting now?
We as a collective Pinky: I think so Google Brain, but if you replace the P with an O, my name would be Oinky, wouldn't it?
A hybrid car of course.
Charged PHEVs with additional battery capacity..that you can monitor wirelessly.
Google teamed up with Pacific Gas & Electric and their plan is to create cars and trucks that will be partly powered by the country's electric grids. Oy vey! I foresee some serious black-outs in our future.
I wonder if you can Twitter via Google Talk from the steering wheel!?
NARF!
Labels: google
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
So this weekend I made use of Google maps to help me get to a friends house in NJ. This got me thinking..how do I get to Paris? Yes - Paris, France. I know just where to get my answer too! Maps.google.com. Mr. Google, please show me how to get from New York City to Paris, France. The answer I do believe, will amuse you.
Looky.
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