Diary of a Techy

Find Me on YouTube

2007-08-29T03:37:00.000-04:00

Right HERE

This Blog is not Currently in Use and is outdated

2007-08-29T03:27:00.001-04:00

SPRING BREAK!!!

2006-03-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

This is me and my friend Brian at Davios which is across Columbus Ave from his restaurant, Smith and Wollensky's in Boston, MA. We hit the lunch at the latter restaurant celebrating WINE WEEK. For $10 (plus a lunch obviously) we got to have (pretty much) unlimited glasses of on average $110-a-bottle wine! The best wine I've ever had.

Then we went across the street to Davios and had a few before we retired to Brians pad where we proceeded to drink an Irish Car Bomb each in celebration of the recent St. Patrick's Day. Brian then "layed down" for a while, while long-time friend Rose and myself hung out. All in all that was my spring break all packed into one day!

Mo-bloggin'!

2006-03-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

This entry is being made with my mobile phone! I'm excited anyways.....

Download Google Earth - Mac or PC

2006-02-09T04:28:00.000-05:00

Well I've kinda been under a rock as far as updating this website recently so sometime in the past few months GOOGLE WAS RELEASED FOR MAC OSX.

Wonderful news, especially because I recently got an iBook G4. Proud to announce too that Google Earth runs wonderfully on my 1.33ghz iBook G4 with 512mb ram (the bare bones iBook config).

Enjoy the free program for the small price of selling your soul (via Liscense Agreements) to Google forever

PS Just Kidding

PPS I hope.....

Google Earth Homepage

MMMmmm that bookmark is just del.icio.us!

2006-02-09T04:23:00.000-05:00

What if you could access your bookmarks everywhere? Share them with others? What about seeing who has bookmarked the same things? Enter Del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us/), the social bookmarking site. Here you can search other peoples bookmarks by their title, or using TAGS ( as mentioned 2 posts back in the flick post ). My favorite thing to do is bookmark an interesting site, see who else has bookmarked it, and see what else they themselves have bookmarked.

Flickr Photo Badge

2005-10-19T01:23:00.000-04:00

Newly added is my flickr random photo badge from My Flickr Photostream. Flickr is a cool photosharing website that uses tags and Tag Clouds. Very interesting organzational tools and overall interconnected spider web-like interface/feel of the Flikr site. If you've never seen it check out Gadget Boy's Photos on flicker,
My sets (of pictures) on flicker
Groups I have pics in on flicker:
-Digital Underwater Photography
-3d Art
-Glowsticking

Get your own Flicker

Hurricane Rita Real-Time

2005-09-23T17:16:00.000-04:00

Found a really cool Hurricane Tracking KMZ file for Google Earth. Gives windspeed, projected course, and spectral satellite imagery for hurricanes found worldwide.
In conjucntion with the awesome real-time weather tools (scroll to the bottom to find the radar and satellite mosaics for the US) found over at googleearthhacks.com. I really feel like a weatherman with these amazing tools at my disposal.

Here is an image of Hurricane Rita at 5:00 pm on Friday September 23rd:

Google Earth BBS Post: "Hurricanes live positions (v 1.0) worldwide data"
And of course the direct link to theKMZ Download
If you still haven't seen Google Earth then download it now

Tags:

Google Earth

Hurricane

Back Online!

2005-09-13T01:40:00.000-04:00

The gadget boy moved to a new location recently and is now plugged back in. Sorry we've been out of touch for a while but everything should be back in business!!

Next Gen Logitech® Webcam

2005-09-13T01:28:00.000-04:00

The Logitech® QuickCam Fusion raises the bar for webcams everywhere. It boasts 1.3 megapixels, a built in microphone that cancels echoes enabling headset-free video conferencing, and face tracking technology that allows you to control a 3d avatar with your facial expressions. $99 US, available now.

The alien's face is being controlled by the man at left.

While Webcams can be found for much cheaper (even from logitech) this camera may spark a new age in chat-rooms and videoconferencing, one in which you can become other people or things in a new way. Gives a new sense to the meaning of Avatar.

Quickcam Fusion Site Available now for $99 US plus shipping.

Google Wants Dark Fiber

2005-08-28T19:53:00.000-04:00

Posted from http://www.zdnet.com/

Is Google planning to build a global fiber-optic network from scratch? And, if so, why?
The question has cropped up in light of a recent job posting on the search engine giant's Web site seeking experts in the field.
"Google is looking for Strategic Negotiator candidates with experience in...(i)dentification, selection, and negotiation of dark fiber contracts both in metropolitan areas and over long distances as part of development of a global backbone network," the posting reads in part.
"Dark fiber" refers to fiber-optic cable that's already been laid, but is not yet in use. Thousands of miles of dark fiber are available in the United States, but there have been few takers because of the high costs of making it operational.
A Google representative declined to elaborate on the job posting. Still, the posting offers a glimpse into Google's bandwidth needs over the coming years, indicating some prodigious internal projections. Although it's still rare for companies to buy significant amounts of fiber on their own, it's not unheard of among companies with exceptional data demands, such as banks. So buying and developing fiber now could well be nothing more than a strategy for cutting costs down the road.
But the move also raises some tantalizing thoughts, including the long-shot chance that the company is laying the groundwork to jump into the telecommunications business. The posting was reported by Light Reading, a Web site that tracks the optical networking industry.
If Google were to build its own global or national fiber network, the project would likely cost billions of dollars and take years to implement, an investment that would be hard to justify based on the networking needs of most companies. Renting "lit" fiber from carriers is generally a cheaper, and therefore preferred, way to go.
Google is thought to be a shrewd judge of computing value, having built its widely admired infrastructure on the back of low-budget server clusters. At the same time, curious geeks have long pondered the apparent mismatch between its service demands and the reputed scale of its computing resources.
Dark motivationsA handful of dark-fiber projects have been gaining momentum recently, mostly involving large consortia of private companies, universities and medical facilities, sometimes with heavy government backing. Best-known is the National LambdaRail (NLR) , which has acquired more than a third of the 28,000 route miles of dark fiber so far snapped up by the research community, according to Steve Corbato, Internet2's director of network initiatives and an NLR board member.
"We view this, in a sense, as exploiting a moment in time," Corbato said. The telecom boom of the late 1990s led to a glut in fiber assets, and the subsequent bust put undeveloped fiber on the market at bargain basement prices. "The sense of urgency in acquiring these assets has been tied to the unique opportunity that's been presented...The spot market for fiber is already going up, and most people expect these assets will get gobbled up."
Corbato says he has noticed signs of increasing interest in dark fiber from private enterprise of late, most notably among large financial institutions. Meanwhile, in December, cable giant Comcast signed a $100 million-plus deal to buy long-haul dark fiber to build out its network.
A Level3 representative declined to comment when told of Google's job posting.
Corbato also declined to speculate about Google's plans. But he said fiber-optic expertise is a natural fit for a company like Google.
"If I were the CIO of an international information technology company," he said, "I would think that having these types of skills would be a natural to have within the organization."

NOVA - Military Technology being used in Iraq

2005-08-18T00:58:00.000-04:00

Recently I saw NOVA - Battle Plan Under Fire on PBS. I like NOVA, I think they provide enough information to interest you, and explain things in a way everyone can understand. The show sparked me to make a post with some highlights and present a little information that I found after looking around on the net a little.

The US military has bombs guided by GPS, UAVs remote controlled via satellite, oh yah and and a secret military internet that keeps everyone in communication. The war in Iraq is a laboratory for a new type of battlefield, where decisions can be made on the fly, and targets can be changed at the last minute. A highly advanced mapping system connected to the military internet keeps track of the locations of friendly units via GPS, and enemy units spotted by ground forces.

The RQ-1 Predator (pictured at left) is a remote controlled drone that has cameras and sensors which send information and live video back across the military internet to the ones making the decision where bombs are dropped, and what shall be done next. Hellfire missiles can even be launched from the Predator. It's been in use since 1995 in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Yemen according to the RQ-1 Predator Wikipedia article.

It can be the eyes and means to target things for a much larger C-130 Hercules(pictured below) residing even higher in the air that can then drop lots of bombs with deadly accuracy.

This is the time of network-centric warfare which facilitates a chat-room style of fighting, communication changes everything. But the enemy does a good job of staying below our radar and they seem to somehow adapt. No matter how much technology we have, they just keep coming. Its pretty amazing really. I really suggest people check out the NOVA program if possible.

NOVA - Battle Plan Under Fire

Predator RQ-1 on PBS website

Fuel Cell Technology, and the ONE-Wheel Concept

2005-08-05T17:24:00.000-04:00

Imagine that your next motorcycle is a unicycle, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell! The EMBRIO is a concept transport vehichle from Canadian based Bombardier Recreational Products. It has...well i guess you could call it "landing gear" that deploy when speeds drop below 20kmph (12.4mph), althhough the unit's gyroscopes will balance the vehicle even while motionless. Steering is executed by shifting one's wait (leaning) rather than turning handlebars or a steering wheel. I know I want to be the first guy on my block to have one of these. Unfortunately fuel cells have a few hurdles that need to be overcome before everyone and they're brother will be driving cars powered by the technology. Which brings us to the next section...

Theres alot of buzz about fuel cell cars, but cars will not be the place we'll see fuel cells first. Where will we see them? The answer may be in your pocket, or on your lap:

Micro Fuel Cells
Mobile Phones, PDAs, and Laptops should start to utilize micro fuel cells to power them by the end of the year. That means your next phone, or notebook computer may be using this new technology. At first they'll give us power just as well as batteries, but within a few years our fuel cells will be getting much longer use out of our portable electronics than batteries ever could have. Companies already have prototypes and very soon we'll see working devices on the market.

This new technology will also fight pollution and waste problems on a grand scale. The fuel cell car's only byproduct is water vapor (compared to harmful carbon monixide and much more) and in the micro fuel cell world, batteries are bad for our environment to dispose of improperly (which I'm sure most are). Hopefully the obstacles preventing us from launching large scale fuel cells in the transportation industry will be overcome, saving the earth, our collective conscience, and some money if we're lucky.

Embrio One-Wheel Concept At Gizmag.com

The Fuel Cell Way A great website with lots of info (multiple languages)

Make your MP3s HEARD

2005-07-30T14:54:00.000-04:00

I love music, and I believe it should go everywhere I go. Now if you already have some nice speakers for the portable music player of your choice, or maybe even a regular boom box with an input on it then this post isn't for you.

Cambridge SoundWorks PlayDock MP3
This speaker unit will turn your iPod or other mp3 player into a boom box! It boasts a 15 watt powered subwoofer with 4-inch driver and approximately 10 hours of playback time. It'll even recharge "select MP3 players while AC powered". It's $199 on the Cambridge Soundworks website, which appears to be the only place it's available.

JBL OnTour
This next guy is one I can personally vouch for because I own one. It'll just about fit into a nice large cargo pocket, and you can put your mp3 player in another pocket and music will just follow you around. It's great and loud for both the price ($95 at BestBuy.com) and its size. The OnTour takes 4 AAA batteries which last at least a few hours. AC adapter included.

JBL website Has the specs

Track your kids 2

2005-07-29T17:44:00.000-04:00

Forget buying the device that I mentioned here in order to spy on your kids location, now if you live in the UK, KidsOK.net will allow you to "Ping" you childs phone and recieve an image back on your phone with a map of their location! Wow guys, too bad parents can't build up, oh maybe trust, instead of cellular and gps networks in order to know where they're kids are. I love the little advisory at the bottom of their page (of course in miniature print) :

" KidsOK is intended to complement, not be a substitute for, normal parental supervision."

Realistic Robotics

2005-07-29T17:31:00.000-04:00

A japanese scientist and professor named Ishiguru, has designed what is probably the most beleivable android in history, affectionately named "Repliee Q1". He claims that his robot can fool you for a few minutes, that is, into beleiving that she is real. Although it can only sit in one place, and is not self contained, this is another step towards real waking and talking beleivable andriods.

The BBC article is HERE

Lexi's Art 2

2005-07-27T18:16:00.000-04:00

Art by Lexi

De-thawing Dead Dogs

2005-07-27T16:41:00.000-04:00

"US scientists have succeeded in reviving the dogs after three hours of clinical death, paving the way for trials on humans within years."

The subject's veins are drained of blood and filled with an ice-cold salt solution. The brain shows no activity, and the heart does not beat, making them scientifically dead. After replacing the blood and applying an electric shock the dogs come back to life "perfectly normal, with no brain damage".

The research I intended to one day allow field medics the ability to transport wounded persons to a proper facility before they are unable to be saved. They predict this technology could start saving lives as soon as 10 years from now. It's called “suspended animation with delayed resuscitation” or “applied emergency hypothermia.”

In my opinion, this could be the first few steps towards developing cryogenic sleep technology, or "Hyper-sleep", where a human could be suspended in an unconcious state for months or even many years without aging one minute.

Official Statement from Sarar Center

Cantenna

2005-07-26T18:40:00.000-04:00

Hi folks, I'm Ben's brother Drew. I told Ben I would post something on his blog a few months ago, and I'm just now getting around to it. Ben, I better get some glowsticks for this! (Heh, just kidding.) I'm a big fan of homebrew technology, and while looking for something to post about, I saw this really cool thing. Enjoy...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A cantenna is a directional waveguide antenna for long-range WiFi (cf. Hi-fi) used to increase the range of (or snoop on) a wireless network. Originally built using a Pringles® Potato Chip can, a cantenna can be constructed quickly, easily, and inexpensively using readily obtained materials:

Four small nuts/bolts;
A short length of medium-gauge wire;
A tin can roughly 8 cm (3.66 inches) in diameter (the longer the better); and
An N-Female chassis mount connector, available at any electronic supply store.

An optimal design will use a tin can longer than a Pringles can. Instructions for constructing and connecting a cantenna can be found at Turnpoint.net.

While cantennas are useful for extending a local area network (LAN), the tiny design makes them ideal for mobile applications such as wardriving. The design of the cantenna is so simple that it is often the first antenna WiFi experimenters learn to build. Even the Secret Service has taken an interest in the cantenna.

External links

How To Build A Tin Can Waveguide Antenna for 802.11(b or g) Wireless Networks
Wlan antenna Waveguide type - includes some basic theoretical explanations and formulae.
Antenna in a Pringles can
Cantenna.com - commercial site advertising ready made cantennas.
Do-It-Yourself Wireless Antenna Update - make you own wireless antennas.

Stem Cells FAQ

2005-07-20T01:00:00.000-04:00

Stem Cell Researtch is a very hot topic in news right now, and sometimes its hard to grasp because of the advanced medical nature of the whole idea. Not to worry, Wired.com has a great "Crash Course" about stem cells in FAQ format.

Geocaching with Google Earth

2005-07-15T21:51:00.000-04:00

Now you can browse geocaches inside Google Earth. If you've never heard of geocaching, hop over to Geocaching.com and check out the GPS-based sport where "you are the search engine".

Andy Fowler has created EarthCache, a kml script that will retrieve the 7 closest geocaches to the center of your view in Google Earth. Clicking on a cache will link you to its web page on geocaching.com. After the camera inside google earth is at rest for 10-15 seconds, the script refreshes the 7 closest caches.

Weather Mapping

2005-07-15T18:35:00.000-04:00

Okay so this is one of the things I think will be very cool to watch evolve as more people start to realize and utilize the power of the wonderful mapping systems Google has bestowed onto us.

Meet Google Weather Maps (http://www.weatherstationmaps.info) which uses interesting icons to show temperature and wind direction as well as sunny/rainy/cloudy icons. This view can be exported to Google Earth by clicking "Export current view" to the right of the map, or for radar maps in Google Earth, just select a state click "show".

Now you have a radar map (with transparency) which can be edited to update automatically by right-clicking each overlay (in the my places pane) and selecting "edit". Also you can right-click the overlay and select refresh to manually update. Don't forget the transparency slider for your image, which appears when you select an overlay. I believe this is the evolutionary beginning of the integration of real-time weather satellite/radar imagery maps and Google Earth.

I also found this collection of satellite image overlays (hint: click "download this file" in the center of the page) on GoogleEarthHacks.com. Its a collection of WeatherChannel satellite images imported into Google Earth and overlayed and they should automatically update every hour. The update frequency can be edited as mentioned above. (note the picture 2 posts down under GoogleEarthHacks.com shows one of these overlays in action)

GoogleSightseeing.com

2005-07-14T16:28:00.000-04:00

A great place to start your tour of the earth. Originally started before Google Earth was free so they link to google maps (maps.google.com) and Google Earth links (kmz or kml files) are being added now. Today's post? Possibly a giant manta ray off the cost of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

GoogleEarthHacks.com

2005-07-14T15:42:00.000-04:00

Oh yah this is RIGHT up my alley! Gotta love these guys, devoted to getting the most out of the capabilities of Google Earth. GEH (Google Earth Hacks) has a downloads sections which includes added 3d models like the "Statue of Liberty" and the "Golden Gate Bridge", network-linked weather map image overlays, and even REAL-TIME traffic maps in Atlanta and Seattle. I expect great things from GEH. They also have forums for talking about discovering and hacking GEarth.

Google Maps Mania

2005-07-13T13:05:00.000-04:00

So Google MAPS which is a free web-based mapping system (much better and more powerful than mapquest or the like) has recently released the APIs, which allow anyone to create new and interesting uses for the mapping system, like Craig's List real-estate maps or Free Wifi maps. Heres a great website that is trying to follow all the different projects that have spawned from this new power. Hope you enjoy it!

Google Maps MANIA

Track your kids with GPS

2005-07-12T20:02:00.000-04:00

Okay so this is Navigation Week in honor of Google Earth being released for free. To start us off here's a little gadget that will track your kids for you via GPS, then send the information to a server allowing access on a web browser, or by receiving txt messages on your cell. Engadget points out many reasons why this is a horrible idea, and that people should just give their kids a cellphone and learn how to trust them.

ArtBots: Robot Talent Show

2005-07-09T13:48:00.000-04:00

Theres some real talent here for sure. Some robots draw, or create art, others are the art themselves. You got to see it to beleive it.

Via Slashdot.org

What will Google do next? THIS!!

2005-07-04T00:55:00.000-04:00

Prepare to discover possibly the most advanced mapping system ever, and its free for personal use. Think magic carpet ride, flying from space to street level. Add layers like roads, 3d terrain and buildings, schools, dining and more! Pro version available for $20 with GPS compatibility, higher resolution printing, and ability to import spreadsheets.

click image to enlarge

Get started at the Google Earth Homepage, or here's a link directly to the free version download page.

Briefcase form factor Solar Panels

2005-07-02T04:43:00.000-04:00

Not quite as convenient as the Juice Bag, a back-pack that packs a flexible solar panel right in the main flap, but it boasts about twice as much wattage (13 watts instead of the 6.3 on the juice bag). Also cheaper at £99.99 (converted online to $177.06), for the dedicated techy who needs a plug anywhere they have sun.

13 Watt Amorphous Briefcase Solar Generator from SolarMAX

Hard Drives Approching the Terabyte

2005-07-02T04:24:00.000-04:00

Cnet (News.com) claims that we may see the first terabyte hard drives by the year 2007 or 2008, and possibly 2 terabyte drives by 2009. Gawsh, thats alot of Digital Video, MP3s , and Britney Spears music videos.

a terabyte = 1 trillion bytes or 1,000 gigabytes

NASA on collision-course with comet

2005-07-02T03:23:00.000-04:00

So as you may or may not know, Nasa plans on breaking up the 4-mile-wide comet Tempel 1 by tossing a washing-machine sized space craft at it. The point is that they're tying to get a peek at whatever is inside the comet, NOT avoid a catastrophic impact with the Earth a la Armageddon the movie. Naturally, with this day and age we can get a front row seat from our computers screens:

NOAO has constantly updating images which will get more frequent an hour before and after the collision.

Mauna Kea Observatories will be providing "near real-time images" of comet Tempel 1 on July 3, as seen from Hawaii.

CREDIT: Story on Wired.com has some extra links.

Lost in Translation: Star Wars III

2005-06-24T16:15:00.000-04:00

"kristin, a/k/a gimpy" blogged this sighting on a message board (which seems to no longer be available) of some screen shots from a bootleg version of "Star Wars: Revenge of the sith". The copy of the movie has been translated into chinese and then back to english, the results are hilarious!

My favorite:

Caffeinated Lip Balm

2005-06-24T14:33:00.000-04:00

Spazzstick is lip balm with loads of caffeine and wicked lip-protection. Invented by an Alaskan policeman, and manufactured by hordes of worker trolls (not gnomes, of course) in an underground volcanic cave--- what you don't believe me? Check their website.

Available in "Vanilla Toffee" and "Mint" flavors its only $2.99 a tube. Not Bad.

iMuffs pre-orders being accepted

2005-06-24T01:44:00.000-04:00

On may 26th, I mentioned that this new gadget would be available soon and now they are, for $179.99 and free shipping that is if you can wait till approximately "late August" for delivery.

"Due to overwhelming demand, we've decided to take pre-orders for the iMuffs"

"For US orders, go to: www.wi-gear.com/order. Non-US residents will have to wait a few more days before we get our international shipping settled."

Logitech has a similar device offering only the wireless-headphone capability with no bluetooth-phone-headset functionality for $150. Although the iPodlounge rated it B- saying "Headphones aren’t comfortable and can’t be resized"

Robots that do housework

2005-06-15T21:20:00.000-04:00

First it was the Roomba (from IRobot) that would vacuum your house for you, and recently they've released the Scooba, the hard-floor-scrubbing bot.

Finally, from a new company called RobotsAndRelax, the Evolution, your new robotic lawnmower!

This bad boy is pretty expensive though at $2299.99

Features include:
• Mulching Action
• Self Charging
• Capable of traversing 27° Hills
• Fully autonomous operation, no human intervention required.
• Can automatically mow three separate areas.
• Rain sensor, returns mower to charging station in the event of rain or sprinkler operation.
• IR Remote Control.
• Winter Charging Kit.

Free Headsets (plus $3.94 shipping)

2005-06-15T21:07:00.000-04:00

No kidding, www.freeheadset.org is giving away headsets for YOUR cell phone to help promote safe driving through hands-free systems.

Replcating robot, replicates "anything"

2005-06-10T13:18:00.000-04:00

Including more robots like itself, circuit boards, many things "ranging from a few millimeters to a few centimeters". And if larger objects were desired they could be assembled from smaller pieces.

Imagine if you had one computer with the design for some great new product, one of these robots, and a bunch of material. Tell one of these robots to endlessly build copies of itself, while all the newly created ones start working on your product!

The cost of one of these guys right now is $45,000 so thats gonna come way down before it can help the "poorest communities by alleviating the need for the sort of large-scale industrial infrastructure" as said in the story on CNN.com

Quake 4 -trailers

2005-06-03T03:45:00.000-04:00

One of the very first 3d first-person-shooter games is approching the release of its 4th game. There are 3 Trailers and an interview. Even if you don't like games, you might still like to see these really cool trailers!

Keyhole soon to become "Google Earth"

2005-06-01T07:10:00.000-04:00

Stephen DesRoches has a great post about this on newrecruit.org, apparently he was invited to beta-test the program and they never mentioned anything about confidentiality so he has lots of info and screen shots. Some major changes are to the interface, adding "Driving Directions", detailed public transit layers, and 3d buildings in select cities. I can't wait!

GPS, Mobile Phones, and Google Maps

2005-06-01T06:53:00.000-04:00

Oh my god this is rediculous! Okay so take your Nokia phone, pair it with your bluetooth GPS receiver, and throw in a little google maps, and you have my latest blog entry! The implementation isn't perfect (yet) and cell phone screens are, let's say, less than map-friendly. Still the possibilities I can see stemming from this experimental fusion of 4 or so technologies (Cell, bluetooth, gps, Google maps) is staggering. I just can't beleive this stuff is starting to become possible: devices are becoming so compatible and capable. Like I always say "Dick Tracy shit I'm telling yah"

GPS fun on Mobile Phones: Mobile Google Maps with GPS

Google Talk

2005-06-01T06:26:00.000-04:00

Featured Google Hack--Google Talk
Type a few words and google will finish your sentence! Basically it searches for the sentence you type and returns the most common successive word, then removes the first word from the search string and repeats the process.
&lt;br&gt;
Google talk a Google Hack by Douwe Osinga

iMuffs wireless iPod Headphones

2005-05-26T18:54:00.000-04:00

Imagine having wireless headphones, no tangles or snags! Now imagine leaving your iPod in your backpack and controlling it right from buttons mounted on your ear. Okay it gets better: if you have a bluetooth cell phone these guys are also a bluetooth headset! They can automatically pause your ipod, ring in your ears, and allow you to pick up the call without touching your iPod or your phone!! Amazing...unfortunately they're not priced or even technically available. The company is accepting order "signups" though.

More Airport Technological Updates

2005-05-26T18:45:00.000-04:00

Biometrics is the identity checking future. From fingerprints to fresh-from-sci-fi retinal scanners will be making sure we are who we say we are. Older methods are way out-dated and too easy to fake. The article is from Reuters.

Lexi's Art 1

2005-05-26T16:32:00.000-04:00

I plan to bring more pictures from this wonderful young artist. Sorry about the quality of this one, but surely you can get the idea

Teen Hacker changes grades

2005-05-25T22:32:00.000-04:00

But accidentally gave everyone at the school an "A" due to a "feature" in the northern California school district. Officials noticed a problem when an A grade was given to "all 18,697 students in the district".

Damn wish I was that good when I was 17.

Prepare to be X-posed at the airport.

2005-05-25T22:24:00.000-04:00

New X-ray technology can see through your clothes, straight to your naked body. Of course the intention is to see ceramic knives and metal-less explosives. But it can see us too, and besides creating a coveted job for teenagers across the country of watching these exposing X-ray screens, I'm sure they'll make alot of people upset. News.com has the story.

Voyager 1 leaves our Solar System

2005-05-25T22:09:00.000-04:00

Voyager is just at the edge of our solar system, the place where the sun's gravitational pull dissopates. Space.com has a great story, and a cool animation.

Want to lose iTunes but keep your iPod?

2005-05-24T17:58:00.000-04:00

If you use windows, not only can you be free of iTunes, but now you can take music back off your iPod and copy to your hard drive all with the help of a winamp plugin called "ml_iPod". It replaces the need for iTunes completely. Also there is a way around the protection inbedded in songs from the iTunes Music Store from the hymn-project

Gadget Boy Saw the Sith, Says it was Sweet

2005-05-20T17:20:00.000-04:00

Yes I saw the movie at 12:01 Thursday morning, yes there were costumed nerds with lightsabers, and yes they forgot to rip my ticket!

Personally I liked the movie, great effects, Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) learned how to act, and it tied the stories together. The thing to remember when watching it is that this is not the last movie in the double trilogy, so it doesn't have that final feeling to it. But I beleive it completes the series. What did you think?

Prison for Pirates of Pilfered Pre-Releases of Motion Pictures

2005-05-20T17:06:00.000-04:00

Roughly translated that means all the costumed, lightsaber-toting, boot-leggers could be going to jail or facing up to $250,000 fines if a new bill is passed. The bill makes "a federal felon of anyone who has even one copy of a film, software program or music file in a shared folder" and that work has not been released.

Cnet has the story

Google HomePage

2005-05-20T15:41:00.000-04:00

Google offers Wired news, Google news, and Slashdot news articles, Gmail inbox, Movies, stock info and more on your Google Homepage. More will be added soon!

Teacher fired for lecture about Peer2Peer

2005-05-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Jorge Cortell explains in his blog that after giving a lecture on the LEGAL uses of P2P networks he was fired from his University in Spain.

Pimp your Firefox

2005-05-20T14:57:00.000-04:00

First of all, if you still you use Internet Explorer, get Firefox.

Firefox users are hacking the web by using a browser extension called Greasemonkey. Theres already a huge collection of scripts for both site specific modification and scripts that will function on all sites

2005-05-19T02:30:00.000-04:00

The details on the 3 new consoles are emerging. Just in time for the final Star Wars episode starting in theaters tomorrow the 18th.
Information is surfacing on all 3 consoles and I've compiled as much as possible for yall.

Xbox 360 - Xenon

System - Three 3.2ghz processors c-odesigned by Microsoft and IBM
Custom graphics chip from ATI with 512mb memory and claiming 500 million triangles per second
Overall 1 teraflop (1 trillion floating point operations per second)
Removeable 20gb Hard Drive

Communication - Built-in Ethernet and Wireless network capability
Ability to stream videos/music/TV/movies from Media Center PCs
Wireless controller support (rumored 1 included)
3 USB ports (supporting existing Microsoft game controllers for PCs, cameras, streaming media from portable devices...)

FREE XBOX LIVE

I heard from several sources that Microsoft will be giving away X-Box Live for free with their new console

Release Time - Thanksgiving 2005

Playstation 3

(more images at ign.com)

System-

CPU Cell Processor running at 3.2Ghz with 7 special purpose 3.2Ghz processors, capable of 218 gigaflops of performance

Backward compatible

GPU RSX at 550MHz 1.8 teraflop floating point performance

256Mb XDR main RAM at 3.2 GHz

256Mb of GDDR VRAM at 700Mhz

Memory Stick Duo, SD, compact flash memory slots

Detachable 2.5 inch hard drive

Support for seven Bluetooth(wireless) controllers

Six USB slots for peripherals

Supports Blu-ray DVD format

System Floating Point Performance of 2 teraflops

Communication Ethernet, Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth

Output in HDTV resolution up to 1080p as standard
-BBC News
Cnet also has a slightly more detailed list

Sony's Cell processor is a new type, it seems to harness the idea of multiple processors working together to create a LARGE amount of computing power.
A word on IBM and Sony's new CELL Processor straight from IBM, that is, if you can understand it. Here is the version we can understand.

Release Time - Spring 2006

Nintendo - Revolution

Nintendo hasn't released too much information yet, but when it does I'll update it here. So far this is what we do know:

Graphics - IBM and ATI are in as "development partners" so Revolution is probably gonna be a speedy little powerhouse just like its rivals.

"wireless internet ready out of the box", backwards compatibility with gamecube 8cm discs (new discs will be 12 cm)
two USB 2.0 ports
slots for DS memory cards
Nintendo has prototype colors are being showcased during E3

"The secret weapon: The console also will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). " -Nintendo.com
What I'm wondering here is will this be free!? THAT would be one real secret weapon alright.

Release Time - "Sometime in 2006"

Initial Thoughts
Well this is an interesting race here.IBM appears to be the technological slut in this race, working on all 3 consoles, and ATI so far has the graphics chips for 2 outta 3. The claims made about Sony's processor are boasting unreal performance. Of course we haven't seen a Cell processor perform yet, so its hard to say how it will hold up against 3 proven 3.2ghz PowerPC-based CPUs in the Xenon, but there is a lot of Cell Hype. So Playstation has the most (theoretical) computing power, X-Box live for free is Microsoft's gimmick, and although Nintendo hasn't announced their detailed hardware specs yet, even if their '20 years of fan favorite' downloadable games really aren't free, I see alot of people interested in that. Even I'm a lover of the classics, and I would pay a few $ a game to play all the oldies-but-goodies.

More info on these when it's available.

What console are you rooting for at this point?

Google hacking explained

2005-05-16T22:36:00.000-04:00

The latest and greatest to utilize the resources of all that is GOOGLE are called google hacks. Now don't get confused, remeber there is good hacking and there is bad hacking (cracking). Google hacks utilize the power that this search engine has given us, in ways we may not have thought of: One hack lets you input poetry and outputs for you a series of images (from google image search). Another lets you see news articles projected on a world map based on where the article talks about. A new hack I just found lets you use google maps to lookup houses for sale, rent, and even rooms-for-rent that is additionally powered by Craig's list.

Google Hacks - A collection of interesting hacks
HousingMaps - Real Estate + Google Maps
Google search for "google hacks" - ( minus "book")

A text-messaging pill dispenser?

2005-05-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

SIMpill can send you a text message if you forget to take your medication!

How do you lose FAT? Eat it.

2005-05-16T17:58:00.001-04:00

Wired News Has a story that explains a study done on mice shows that unless their liver had new fat to proccess, the old fat would stay. Translation: cutting out fat intake completely will not neccessarily make you lose your existing fat.

Bottom line people, extremes are bad, eat a balanced diet.

Nokia competes with 4gb

2005-05-12T10:07:00.000-04:00

The first hard drive phones are here. Nokia introduces the music playing and picture taking N90 which sports a 4gb hard drive for mp3s and 2 mega-pixel camera. Of course its compatible with bluetooth and wifi, but the new wireless technology is 3g, high speed internet connectivity enableling video calling, streaming video, email, and web browsing even if there is no wifi or bluetooth networks.

neXt X-BoX to be MEDIA-centrix

2005-05-09T17:19:00.000-04:00

The new X-Box Xenon will be even more of a pc hybrid then its predecessor, think X-Box meets Windows Media Center. In This story on Yahoo News, Gates taks about its similarities to Media Center:

"If you're used to that menu, when you use this Xenon you'll see a menu a lot like that that lets you get photos, TV, music and all those different things."

www.XBox.com has a counter on their main page counting down to their "Announcement" on MTV.

Solar Power Backpack

2005-05-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

Power your mobile devices with solarpanels built in to a backpack. Itll cost yah tho, $200.

The Juice Bag from Reware

Google's Image

2005-05-06T14:13:00.000-04:00

As a good friend once said "Google is the coolest evil coporation ever."

This post really made me think a little about the image Google projects to the public.

Photo

2005-05-04T17:47:00.000-04:00

Taken stopped at a redlight out my car window. These are what I like to call "god rays"

Tech Sightings - Best Buy

2005-05-04T17:32:00.000-04:00

About once a month I like to make it to Best Buy to check out gadgets and technologies that my tech news sites and TV programs might miss. Here is the highlights from my latest journey.

LCD
The first sighting is just that LCD Monitors are really coming down. This 15 inch is just under $200!

2Way Radio=>internet adapter
The second certainly an intriguing gadget, okay bear with me here: Apparently, this little guy will allow you to use a walkie talkie-to-computer-to-internet-to-walkie-talkie.

This is an explanatory diagram from their site.
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TV on your Cell

2005-05-03T02:08:00.000-04:00

No I'm not kidding. On demand style TV is expected to become available on mobile phones by the end of the year. --=Reuters Story=--

I'm speechless. Technology is moving too fast man. What's next, a computer in the size of a watch?

Dick Tracy shit I'm telling yah

What a Weekend!

2005-05-02T09:09:00.000-04:00

That was a crazy one guys. Started out on friday and hung out with my friend Ryan and his friend Mark. We drank some beer while playing some guitar and digereedoo. Fun fun.

Then on Saturday around 2pm, I received a call from a friend (Mike) of mine that was planning a bachelors party for another friend (Alan) that I was planning on going to around 6pm. He asked me if I could pick him up, drive him around Framingham, while he did a scavenger hunt and video record him in the process. Afterward we went to an apartment and drank some more beer. There were strippers and fun was had all around. I then attended another party in Boston with Drew, my brother. T'was a house warming party for some very good friends of ours. I enjoyed a fine hard cider, and by the end of the night we were feeling quite High Spirited.

Sunday I worked a double at the restaurant. Made some tips, learned some more portugese, and actually had a great time.

Well that was my weekend, WHAT DID YALL DO?? (*hint* press the "comments" button)

Spyware makers finally feeling the pain

2005-04-29T15:26:00.000-04:00

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is sueing Intermix Media Inc., a company that owns a few websites that give away free screen savers and wallpaper (bundled with malware of course). Finally some consequence for these bastages!!

"Intermix does not promote or condone spyware, and remains committed to putting this legacy issue behind it as soon as practicable," Intermix corporate counsel Christopher Lipp said in a statement.

........Right.

Reuters story

Self Charging Flashlights!?

2005-04-29T14:10:00.000-04:00

Well kinda, this is one of those great "on paper" ideas that apparently did not work out here. If you haven't heard of them, they work similar to battery-less watches (that are very expensive). The unit gets charged through kenetic energy: When the light is shaken, a super magnet passes through a coil generating a small (apparently too small) electrical charge. The Gadgeteer's review of one of these charge-by-shaking torches can be summed up pretty easily "mucho effort, no pay-off".

Dutch Pass iPod Tax

2005-04-29T13:48:00.000-04:00

Slashdot.org has a post saying taht the Netherlands will pass a law dictating a tax on all mp3 players sold in a few months. The tax is 3.28 euros or $4.30 US PER Gigabyte, which is alot of money for a 60g Ipod.

PalmOS apps on Pocket PCs

2005-04-29T13:20:00.000-04:00

Saw this on the Daily Gadget, apparently any program that runs on PalmOS will now run on Pocket PC for $30 thanks to StyleTap.com.
Alot of people are making the switch to PocketPC because of the lack of good palm devices among other reasons. This may encourage alot more. Of course myself I think I'll stick with my ultimate PDA the Sony Clie TH55 until ultra portable PCs (the small tablet-laptop hybrids) become affordable (and extremely fast).

About the Author

2005-04-29T11:24:00.000-04:00

Ben Prentice is a student (yes i'm the one writing this, let me have my 3rd person fun) at Mass Bay Community College in Framingham, MA. Currently He's trying to figure out what direction he wants to go in life, a teacher, computer science major, or master of the languages, or some strange combination.

An avid techy and gadgeteer, Ben is always trying to stay on top of the coolest new technologies, and toys that are or will be available. At any time you'll find ben with his pda(with still and video recording wifi, and mp3s..) cell phone (LGvx4500) and watch all synchronized to atomic time.

Also a huge music lover, he's always trying to expand his musical horizons, with new music to listen to, and other realms of being a muscician to explore. Currently teaching himself how to sing, he hopes to get back to guitar soon.

Google MAPS +Satellite Photography!

2005-04-29T11:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, let me bring you up to speed: First there was Keyhole a very cool 3d environment which you can zoom in and out in realtime and view sattelite photography mapped onto a 3d globe. This program is so cool! Then there was java-based google maps (still in beta, but highly usable), a free service that blew Mapquest OUT OF THE WATER. Now that Google has aquired keyhole, theyre offering sattelite-photography right along-side their mapping service. The only thing that I've noticed so far is that the two don't really line up too well (if you know Boston you can tell in this image)

(Image Photoshoped to include both map/sattelite at the same time)

Google Maps- (click on the "Satellite" button in the upper right)

Just the beginning

2005-04-29T09:37:00.000-04:00

Hello world!
And now for something completely different! Ack it didn't work, that was completely un-original, oh well. I'm here, finally I've joined the revolution of information. I am now officially a blogger. I really don't know why, or what will end up here (aside from a little tech-gadget news). But surely I'll give it a shot, and try to keep things interesting. Peace all...