The Current Buzz - Tech

How would you change Microsoft’s new Zunes / v3.0 software?

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Microsoft’s newest Zunes (along with the 3.0 software) have been out for well over a month now, which means you’ve had ample opportunity to really test one out and form some educated opinions. Now, it’s time to open up and let loose. Are you still down with the design? Do you appreciate the extras that came with three point oh? What else could’ve been added to really spice things up? Do us a favor and tell the suits in Redmond what you would’ve done differently, and moreover, how things can be made better the next time it feels the itch to bust out a software update.

How would you change Microsoft’s new Zunes / v3.0 software? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Serialization of The Deal, Chapter 22

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

My friend Joe Hutsko contacted with the intriguing offer to serialize his novel, The Deal, on Boing Boing. I jumped at the chance. I read The Deal when it first came out in 1999 and loved the thrilling story about a Apple-like company’s undertaking to create an iPhone-like device.

Here’s a link to Chapter 22 as a PDF or a text file. (Here’s chapter 1 and an introduction to the book, and here are the previous chapters)

To buy a paperback copy of the book, visit JOEyGADGET or purchase directly from Amazon.

New MacBook Air hits the streets, actually capable of this whole "computing" thing

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

Filed under: Laptops

The new MacBook Air has landed, and folks all over are recording their impressions of the slightly-revamped ultraportable. Obviously there’s very little to note externally, with the same packaging and design to the computer — the only real difference is the new mini DisplayPort plug to replace that totally oddball microDVI plug. What’s much more exciting is what’s under the hood, namely integrated graphics (NVIDIA 9400M) with enough juice to, say, play back a YouTube video without overheating the computer to a point of non-usability. Shocking, we know. Booting is a snap (25 seconds in informal testing) with that new 128GB SSD, the computer runs cool and core-shut-down-free, can handle full HD video, and outputs to external monitors without a problem. Apple really hamstrung an otherwise interesting computer in the original Air with a criminal lack of power and cooling, and we’re happy to report that they seem to have righted those wrongs — though MacBook Air 1.0 owners still have little recourse, unless you count a ,799 “upgrade” as a viable move. Hit the read link some more impressions, or peep the unboxing gallery below, courtesy of Engadget pal Sam.

New MacBook Air hits the streets, actually capable of this whole “computing” thing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HALLOWE’EN

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

GREETINGS. This is John Hodgman writing at the witching hour (5:48PM EST).

It is Hallowe’en, and thus time to CRACK THE CRYSTAL SKULL at last.

Please see the enclosed video.

That is all.

TED talk about cool materials for toys and other uses

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

This is a fun TED talk: “The Inventables guys, Zach Kaplan and Keith Schacht, demo some amazing new materials and how we might use them. Look for squishy magnets, odor-detecting ink, “dry” liquid and a very surprising 10-foot pole.” Keith Schacht & Zach Kaplan: Products (and toys) from the future

$20 kit produces trillions of universes

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

Are you willing to take on the responsibility that comes with bringing trillions of universes into existence, each teeming with sentient life? That’s something to ponder before plunking down for this make-your-own-universe kit, created by artist Jonathon Keats.

If two events are possible, quantum theory assumes that both occur simultaneously - until an observer determines the outcome. For example, in Schrödinger’s famous thought experiment, in which his cat may have been killed with a 50 per cent probability, the cat is both alive and dead until someone checks. When the observation is made, the universe splits into two, one for each possible outcome. For example, Schrödinger’s cat would be alive in one universe and dead in the other universe.

According to the theory, any kind of measurement causes the universe to split and this is the basis of Keats’ new device. His universe creator uses a piece of uranium-doped glass to create a steam of alpha particles, which are then detected using a thin sliver of scintillating crystal. Each detection causes the creation of a new universe.

The make-your-own-universe kit

Email error on road sign

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

The Welsh portion of this sign reads, “”I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated.”" Email error on road sign

Today on Boing Boing Gadgets

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

Today on Boing Boing Gadgets, there was the usual spurting of Halloween themed posts: a little boy dressed as Wall-E’s Eve, a spinal cord beer funnel, some cute Pac-Man pumpkins and the awesomest little boy mech walker costume. Otherwise, we started the day by watching two robots box and do their best Lou Bega impression. We looked at a futuristic car straight out of an MGM cartoon, and as agony aunts cackled over Apple’s blunders. There was a baby carriage for larval Slim Pickens, and an examination of a modern-day masturbation table for the treatment of “hysteria” / “stress.” In realer tech news, Brownlee despaired that the new PSPs are hacker proof, while Rob looked at a joystick for sweaty gamers. Rob spotted a fax machine that can send and receive email, and a keyring that infinitely simulates the fun of popping bubble wrap. There was an expensive sudoku watch with only one puzzle, and Beschizza got all sweaty when looking at a tiny wireless router that plugs into any antenna. Otherwise, Asus threw a customer in jail for threatening to report their shitty tech support to the press, and we stole a tank as Barack Obama. And, as always, much more besides. Link

Child’s mech walker costume

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

I love this child’s mech walker costume built by one of his parents. Brownlee has more over at BB Gadgets. Beware the clomping of the candy-fueled Chicken Walker

Guinness Record for wheelchair backflip

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Fun Tech | No Comments

Aaron Fotheringham, 16, earned a Guinness World Record last weekend as the first person to land a backflip in a wheelchair. (Click the image to see the full photo by Stephen R. Sylvanie/Special to the Home News.) From the Las Vegas Sun:

To achieve the trick, Fotheringham, rolled down a skatepark ramp to generate enough speed. He then went up another ramp and landed his flip on flat ground.

He first completed the trick in 2006, and has dozens of videos of his backflips, but had yet to make it official…

Aaron Fotheringham, who suffers from spina bifida and has been in a wheelchair since he was 13, came up short in his quest to set a record for most consecutive backflips in 45 seconds. His unofficial record is six back flips in a row, however, he could not get consecutive flips Oct. 25.

“I’m a little bit disappointed I didn’t get the consecutive flips, but I guess I’m taking it for granted that I got in the book,” Fotheringham said.

Wheelchair athlete’s back flip lands him in record book (Thanks, Carlo Longino!)