Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Sorry iBooks, Paper Books Still Win on Specs
January 22nd, 2012Apple’s vision for ebooks is to make them like webpages, complete with embedded music, videos, lectures, 3D models, etc; the more distracting, the better. One of the most irritating experiences that I can think of is being interrupted as I’m trying to concentrate. When I sit down to read a book, I don’t want my […]
Kill Hollywood
January 21st, 2012Via: Y Combinator: Hollywood appears to have peaked. If it were an ordinary industry (film cameras, say, or typewriters), it could look forward to a couple decades of peaceful decline. But this is not an ordinary industry. The people who run it are so mean and so politically connected that they could do a lot […]
VoIP POTS Adapters
January 20th, 2012I’ve finally had it with Telecom’s criminal line rental fees. I’ve been testing a VoIP provider’s (2talk) softphone over my mobile broadband connections and it works fine. Using VoIP for our telephone service will save us at least NZ$50 per month. Ok, so I need a POTS adapter. The Linksys SPA2102 is widely available in […]
Side by Side
January 20th, 2012Via: Side by Side: Side by Side Official Trailer (2012) from Company Films on Vimeo. Related: Eastman Kodak Files for Bankruptcy Protection
Edible Microchips to Monitor Drug Taking Habits
January 20th, 2012I wonder if people will tell Siri to remind them to take their digestible sensors? Via: Independent: An edible microchip that records the precise details of a patient’s pill regime will be available in Britain by the end of year following a commercial deal that opens the door to an era of digital medicines. An […]
Air Force’s Top Brain Wants a ‘Social Radar’ to ‘See Into Hearts and Minds’
January 20th, 2012Another one for your bulging For-Fuck’s-Sake-Roll-Eyes file folder. Via: Wired: Chief Scientists of the Air Force usually spend their time trying to figure out how to build better satellites or make jets go insanely fast. Which makes Dr. Mark Maybury, today’s chief scientist, a bit of an outlier. He’d like to build a set of […]
Pentagon-Funded ‘Fun to Play’ Games Would Crowdsource Weapons Testing
January 20th, 2012Via: Nextgov: The Pentagon plans to fork over $32 million to develop “fun to play” computer games that can refine the way weapons systems are tested to ensure they are free from software errors and security bugs, according to a Defense Department solicitation. The goal is to create puzzles that are “intuitively understandable by ordinary […]
U.S. Government’s Takedown of Megaupload ‘Sets a Terrifying Precedent’
January 20th, 2012Of course, the sycophantic New Zealand government went along with Uncle’s whims. Via: AP: One of the world’s most popular file-sharing sites was shut down Thursday, and its founder and several company officials were accused of facilitating millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content. A federal indictment accused Megaupload.com of costing copyright […]
New York Police Will Scan Pedestrians for Concealed Weapons
January 18th, 2012Via: CBS News: The NYPD is stepping up their war against illegal guns, with a new tool that could detect weapons on someone as they walk down the street. But is it violating your right to privacy? Police, along with the U.S. Department of Defense, are researching new technology in a scanner placed on police […]
SWITCH Lighting LED Lightbulbs
January 17th, 2012Via: AllGeek: At the 2012 International CES we had a chance to speak with SWITCH Lighting. They are a start-up from Silicon Valley that is working to create a better lighting solution than the age old Edison incandescent and take LED lights to the next level. There are two parts of their design that make […]
