Switched

Tributes.com Sounding Death Knell for Newspaper Obituaries?

Tim Stevens — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:32:00 EST

It's been a terrible decade or so for print newspapers around the world. As more and more people go online to get their news, fewer need a (non-free) printed version cluttering up their mailboxes. Then came sites like Craigslist, killing any profits earned from the printed classifieds section, and Monster.com, doing the same for the help wanted section. That doesn't leave much left to cherry pick, but Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor thinks he's found one last aspect to destroy: the obituaries section.

His new site is Tributes.com, an online obituary service that, he hopes, will some day become your go-to site for those who are no longer going anywhere. Users can post up obituaries for others and search for obituaries based on home town and date of death; they can even set up a recurring notice for any deaths nearby.

It's all a little morbid (duh), and while looking for jobs and used refrigerators online feels like second nature at this point, it's hard to imagine too many people surfing over to check the daily obits. [Source: Newsvine]

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US Government May Be Tracking You With Your Cell Phone

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:48:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones

It was disturbing enough when the government was just listening in. Now privacy advocates are afraid the government may be tracking our every move through our cell phones. In November of 2007, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to find out how widespread such tracking is. The DOJ didn't hand over the data, so now the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) are taking the DOJ to court to force it to comply with the request.

The ACLU was spurred into action following a blog post in The New York Times in which some courts expressed discomfort with the government's use of cell phone tracking data without probable cause.

How often, and in what situations, the government has utilized this tool is not yet known, but following revelations that the domestic wiretapping was much more widespread than the Bush administration claimed, we simply can't take any chances. [Source: NY Times]

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Citysense Uses GPS to Show Live Crowd Movement

Will Safer — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:25:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhone

Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? Then maybe you need a little CitySense.

This activity aggregator from a Columbia University professor tracks users by the GPS capability of their mobile phones (in this case BlackBerrys, but an application for the iPhone is coming soon) and maps out where everyone is in a city.

The initial use, for business and marketing, is obvious. See where the people go and put your business there. The next use is the clever one, though. Let people see where the hot activity is, match it with their own patterns of movement and travel around the metropolis, and make suggestions of where they might want to go next -- all based on complex algorithms that compile data constantly being uploaded to the CitySense system.

The creator, Tony Jebara, an Associate Professor in Computer Science at Columbia, says CitySense can be used tailored to your own activity. Coming soon is the ability for the system to analyze where you've specifically been and then show you where like-minded people also are likely to tread.

All this movement and information is processed by the Sense Networks Macrosense platform. Jebara says that the information gathered is anonymous and you can delete your history at any time.

One other clever feature: If the CitySense system determines that there are more people than usual up and about in the morning, it can actually adjust its alarm clock to wake you a few minutes early, giving you additional time to navigate traffic or an overwhelmed mass transit system. (Just don't hit that snooze button.) [Source: Citysense via Textually.org.]

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Inventor of First Business Computer Dies

Will Safer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

What if the latest technology news came not out of Microsoft or Apple but instead from McDonald's or Pizza Hut? It would be surprising news, to say the least. Even so, it turns out that one of the biggest advances in computer tech for business was developed by an English food company back in 1951, and its principle designer, David Caminer, died on June 15 at the age of 92.

Caminer is credited by Guinness World Records with creating the world's first business computer on behalf of his employer, J. Lyons & Co, which operated a chain of bakeries and food shops. While other companies, such as IBM, soon overtook the British firm (due to what Caminer said was arrogance and a failure to appreciate the rapid pace of technology by his employer), it is Caminer who gets the credit for devising the business machine. It's first task was to calculate costs, prices and margins of that week's baked output.

Caminer's goal was to speed up the logistics and payroll process for Lyons, which besides running stores also served events at Wimbledon and Windsor Castle. While it took an accountant eight minutes to calculate an employee's pay, the computer, called LEO (short for Lyons Electronic Office), needed only 1.5 seconds. Although the LEO 1 has less than 100,000th the power of a current desktop personal computer it did have all those cool vacuum tubes. They hummed.

What was one thing Caminer did have in common with other great technology inventors? No college degree. (But to all you kids out there, Switched says "Be cool. Stay in school.")

The real innovation of Caminer's machine was that it could be loaded with different programs to work on different tasks. And thus modern business computing was born. [Source: The Seattle Times]

Gallery: A History of Computer Firsts

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Windows XP Officially Unavailable After Today

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

Today marks the end of an era... sort of. Microsoft will cease making Windows XP available to most resellers and PC distributors, just 18 months after the release of the much hyped and much derided Vista hit the market.

Companies will be allowed to sell XP until their stocks run out, and computer manufacturers will still be able to get their hands on the stripped down version targeted at low cost PCs like the Eee, but for the consumer, the options are running out. The fear of Vista is intense, even inspiring a Save XP campaign.

A "downgrade" option will still be available to most people buying a new Vista-equipped PC, though manufacturers are looking into ways to shortcut the system and offer computers pre-downgraded to XP. Microsoft may be trying desperately to herd the computing masses towards Vista, but we're sure this isn't last we've heard of the little OS that could. [Source: AOL Money & Finance]

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Nike Re-Releases 'Back to the Future' High-Tops

Joshua Fruhlinger — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Summer Fun

Remember those cool Nike high-tops that Marty McFly wore in 'Back to the Future?'The ones that laced themselves and you wished you had a pair just like them? If so, listen up: Nike is releasing the Marty McFly 2015's as the Nike Hyperdunks.

They won't lace themselves, unfortunately, but will be made of Nike's super light-weight materials. They'll be shilled by Kobe Bryant in black, and we'll be surprised if the 'Back to the Future' roots of these shoes will be shown the light in order to keep the cool young'ns interested, but we all know the truth behind these bitchin' kicks. Hoverboard sold separately. [Source: Wired]

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Kate Moss Hair Extension Auctioned Off on eBay

Christine Whitney — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:08:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, eBay

Remember when eBay was all about getting tickets to sold-out Radiohead concerts and Superbowls and stuff? Now you can get lots of gross and unnecessary things on there, like this Kate Moss hair extension, which the supermodel "shed" in Germany while fleeing the paparazzi. The victorious hair-finder, (fashion equivalent of the guy who catches a fly ball in his beer at a Yankees game) is auctioning off the lock for an anti-drug charity, ironically.

The organization is called Keine Macht den Drogen (No Power to Drugs) and sounds like the Weimar equivalent of D.A.R.E. We hope the hair money goes toward the purchase of thousands of KMDD t-shirts and will keep the German youth from one day losing their own hair and teeth.

"I hope Kate doesn't mind. I did not have time to ask her..." says hair-auctioneer John Farr. Of course she won't, John. It's for the kids. [Source: The Local]

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Text-Addicted Teen Sends 15,000 Messages a Month

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones

Trust us when we say we make good use of our text messaging plans at Switched. Many of us simply could not survive without our unlimited (or at least hefty) text messaging packages, but one girl from Ohio sends more texts in a month than the entire Switched staff combined.

According to WEWS TV, Cleveland, Paige Horne, 15, of Stark County, Ohio, sends an average of 15,000 text messages a month -- that's an average of 500 messages a day!. Even so, she somehow finds time to keep her GPA above 3.0 while also playing high school basketball and volleyball. Regarding her technique, Horne responded, "I just don't look. I guess I had the phone a long time and I just know where the buttons are and I just hit them." With texting skills like these, we're pretty sure she could give the 13-year-old texting champion of the world a run for her money.

At that pace, Paige must literally be texting all the time. While walking, in the car, in class, and even while sleeping. We just hope she learns to take a break before she gets her license. [Source: newsnet5 via Geeksugar]

Click Here to Find Tips To Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

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This iPod Doctor Makes House Calls

Tim Stevens — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video, iPod, Summer Fun

It's easy to think of today's pocketable gadgets as disposable -- use 'em for a few years, then toss 'em when they're obsolete or broken. That's not always necessarily the case, though, as busted iPods and other players can be fixed by repair shops (or even yourself) if you have steady hands. But if you're not the mechanically inclined type, can't bear to be away from your player long enough to mail it to a repair shop, and you happen to live in NYC, you can call the iPod Doctor, or one of his competitors springing up across the boroughs.

The iPod Doctor is Demetrios Leontaris, who makes house calls in the City for $70 a pop -- possibly more, depending on the service. He can do most repairs right there while you wait, without even leaving the drivers' seat of his car, though some, like a hard disk replacement for iPods with ailing storage, might require a return visit a day or two later. Given the $200-plus cost for most new players, the charge is a bargain. If it'll keep you from having to replace your broken but beloved player, it definitely seems like a worthwhile service to us (particularly if the rest of your money is going towards sky-high New York City rents!).

Now if only he could help with the gadget obsolescence problem.... [Source: CNN Money]

Click Here to Find Out If Your iPod Can Be Fixed

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Starbucks Eliminating CDs and iTunes Gift Cards From Its Shops

Tim Stevens — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:48:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video

With file sharing, the death of independent radio, and out of touch record labels, the music industry hasn't exactly been flourishing lately. CD sales are way down, and while online music sales are way up, they're not exactly filling the gap. Unsurprising, then, that coffee uber-franchise Starbucks is scrapping its foray into the music distribution business, focusing instead on what it does best: coffee.

Starbucks had aspirations of turning into not just a cool place to get hot Venti Lattes in the morning, but also a place to check out new artists and buy a CD or three while you sipped and chatted. Those plans started with a rack of CDs at stores, along with iTunes gift cards, and a new music label. But when it was revealed that each store was selling only two discs per day, it was clear that people were coming for the caffeine kick and little else.

The chain will still continue to sell a few CDs here and there, but its upstart music label has been sold off, leaving fledgling bands with one fewer venue to get their music out there. And thus the cycle continues. [Source: Silicon Alley Insider]

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Nintendo Ranked Least 'Green' Tech Company

Evan Shamoon — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:10:00 EST

Filed under: Computers, Video Games, eBay, Green Tech

Proving once again that it's always the smiley-faced, rosey-cheeked cherub that has the human skeletons in its closet, sunshine-and-rainbow-drenched video game purveyor Nintendo has come in dead last in a ranking of the world's most eco-friendly electronics companies.

The quarterly "Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics" ranks 18 electronics firms by how green their production processes and products are ... and the big N pulled up the rear at number 18.

Of course, Nintendo had its own response, claiming that it scored low because it had not provided data for the survey. "Greenpeace chose to conduct a survey and produce a report, which graded companies upon the voluntary submission of information," the firm said in a statement. "Nintendo decided not to take part in the survey and were therefore 'ungraded' in the resulting report." Which of course begs the question: Why didn't the company take part?

Oh, and pipe down over there in the corner, Xbox fanboys -- Microsoft came in at 17, a position that reflected its "low score on climate criteria". [Source: BBC]

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Hasselhoff Launches MySpace-Like Site

Evan Shamoon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:12:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, MySpace, Summer Fun

Oh no he didn't. Oh yes he did!

As of this very moment in human history, David Hasselhoff -- known to his fans as "The Hoff", and to his car as "Michael" -- has his own social-networking site. You know, like MySpace and Facebook ... but with everything somehow relating back to, well, David Hasselhoff. It's called -- get this -- 'Hoffspace.' Clever!

The free site/service lets fans read the Hoffinator's latest blog posts (not much more than upcoming event listings and "I love HoffSpace" exclamations), upload photos and videos of themselves (or the Hoff), and participate in Hoff-centric contests (send in videos of yourself lip-syncing to Hasselfhoff songs!). We're not betting types over here, but if we were, we'd say, "it's an odds-on favorite to be huge in Germany."

And a complete and utter failure everywhere else, if not an absolute blight on humanity. (Sorry, Hoff). [Source: G4TV]

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George Carlin's Death Boosts Web Searches for Notorious '7 Words'

Evan Shamoon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:19:00 EST

Filed under: Computers, Celebrities

As you've surely heard, comedian George Carlin is now the late, great George Carlin, after passing away over the weekend. According to SearchEngineLand (yes, there's a Web site dedicated to search engines -- and no, it's not the only one), a quick look at Google Trends shows that searches related to Carlin have spiked, along with the provacateur's famous "seven words you can't say on TV."

But of those seven famous words, which ones actually spiked? The site found that only two of said (unsaid) words showed "substantial search volume": the F-word and tits.

Somewhere, George is laughing his ass off -- not only that someone took the time to figure this out, but that we are posting it and that you are reading it. Zing. [Source: SearchEngineLand]

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Latest Malicious Software Targets Macs, Takes Your Picture, Passwords

Tim Stevens — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:25:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

More or less since the inception of the Macintosh OS, users of Apple computers have felt invulnerable to the threats that their Windows-using counterparts have faced. Viruses and other malicious bits of computer software that regularly affect Microsoft's platforms are very rare on the Mac. But contrary to popular belief, they're not absent altogether, and a new one making the rounds is a real doozy, as it disables your security software, steals your passwords, and even takes your picture using the MacBook or iMac's built-in camera.

According to Mac anti-virus developer SecureMac, the malicious program is a Trojan, an app that installs itself pretending to be friendly and useful, but actually hides an unwanted payload. This particular one is distributed as a supposed game or utility and, after installing itself, exploits a vulnerability in Mac OSX versions 10.4 and 10.5 that enables it to take complete control over your computer. From there it can do whatever it likes, including montior every keystroke you make to capture passwords, deletes ystem logs to hide its existence, and take over your camera to monitor what you're up to.

The good news is that you'll have to actually agree to download and install this thing in order for it to get onto your computer. So, make sure you know exactly what it is that you're downloading and installing and you should be okay (be extra wary of random utilities or games that offer themselves up to your for download and install). In addition, you should install an anti-virus program onto your Mac and run it regularly.

This Trojan is a nasty one, that's for sure, and a reminder that even if you're using a Mac, you should be careful where you click that mouse! [Source: NewsFactor]

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U.S. Wants Airlines, Cruise Ships to Fingerprint Travelers

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

The airlines and foreign governments are balking at a plan put forth by the Department of Homeland Security to have airlines fingerprint and collect sensitive data about foreign travelers as they leave the U.S. They claim that it represents an effort by the U.S. government to "outsource" responsibility for border security, and it would also set a dangerous precedent of putting private companies in charge of collecting and maintaining databases of personal data.

The airlines are also worried about the potential price tag of such a program. Airline representatives claim it would cost the companies $12.3 billion a year, almost $9 billion more than the Department of Homeland Security estimates, which might force some of the struggling airline industry to simply close up shop.

Cruise lines are subject to the same rules, so don't be surprised when Mickey stops you to stick your digits on an ink-pad when you board the Big Red Boat. [Source: Washington Post via: Jaunted]

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66 OLPC XO '$100 Laptops' Stolen from Poor Kids

Tim Stevens — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

We've been closely following the story of the OLPC XO, the supposed '$100 Laptop,' since it first began production. Months later, when it was finally shipped to needy kids, it actually cost just shy of $200 a pop. Though there have been a number of setbacks and disappointments in the project, none have been quite like the latest: According to Peruvian Radio News RPP, 66 OLPC XO laptops were stolen from a Peruvian school two weeks ago, where they were being stored in preparation for being given out to kids.

What's even more frustrating is that the stolen laptops are likely to deactivate themselves in a short while, making them completely useless. When an OLPC XO is activated, it is supposed to be locked via a passcode specific to a user. So, if the laptop is turned on by anyone else, it will deactivate itself. There have been cases where the laptops have not been locked down as they were supposed to, meaning a stolen laptop could indeed work for anyone. But, even so, eventually each laptop will need to be re-activated to continue functioning, and if the thieves don't have the necessary code to do that they'll turn off and stay off.

This means, rather sadly, that the kids who need these laptops won't get them, and those laptops will probably just wind up in the trash heap. It seems that sometimes a cheap laptop can't solve the world's ills after all. [Source: RPP NOTICIAS via Gadget Lab]

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Is Helio Going Out of Business?

Ryan Block — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones

It ain't over until it's over, but we just got word that Helio store managers received notification this week that the axe is finally falling: (at least some of) the nationwide chain of retail stores will be shuttered during Virgin's takeover of Helio. As we've heard, "there is no 'merge' in this merger," so it sounds like after this year's big executive reshuffle, SK Telecom (which owns a majority stake in Helio) is bailing on their half-billion dollar enterprise a big way. No word if the fabled Ocean 2 will make it -- or if Virgin will even let Helio customers keep their phones.

Alongside Helio -- more or less the last man standing -- the great MVNO goldrush also dies. Unfortunate that besides Virgin and a few local and M2M providers (like Amazon's Whispernet), pretty much no one was able to make it work. Then again, no one ever never said making cellphones and running any kind of carrier was easy.

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Video: Meet Hasbro's Ampbot, the Mother of All Rollys

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

Cross a Segway with a Rolly and Miuro and out pops this A.M.P. soaked in a grey-goo afterbirth of Robotic procreation. The two-wheeled, dancing A.M.P. (Automated Music Personality or Ampbot) from Sega-Hasbro stands 2.4-feet tall and features a MP3 or iPod cradle on its back, stereo speakers, and the ability to follow and interact with its owner. There's a 5-inch mid-range speaker in the chest and a pair of smaller tweeters in the shoulders for a total output of 12 watts.

Osamu Takeuchi of Sega Toys says, "The owner can also enjoy being chased around the house by the robot." Uh, yippee? The Ampbot and controller require 6x D and 3x AAA batteries for about 10-hours of continuous music. The stalking begins November for ~~$745~~ $500 in the US and Japan.

Update: Embedded video courtesy of Impress now available after the break. Be warned: the price tag is starting to look modest even at the cost of our own destruction.

[Via Physorg and Impress]

Continue reading Video: Meet Hasbro's Ampbot, the Mother of All Rollys

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Want to Clone Your Dog? Then Bid on This Auction...

Will Safer — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:19:00 EST

Is Fido on his last legs? Well, he may have a second chance, in a manner of speaking, as long as you're sure to collect a DNA sample.

BioArts International, a San Francisco-based firm, has announced it will auction off five slots for people who want clones produced of their dogs - plus one more slot for a lucky contest winner. Despite the lessons we all learned from Stephen King's 'Pet Sematery' (in which those animals who are resurrected come back evil), BioArts claims its dog clones will not only match their donor subjects in appearance, but also in personality.

We'll admit, we're simultaneously intrigued and creeped out (especially by all the weird "clone" images of old dogs and young dogs together on the BioArts site).

The "Best Friends Again" auction will commence July 5, with five separate bidding rounds running in succession. Winning bids will have 30 days to successfully collect and supply DNA from their dogs so BioArts can get to work. Now, before you get too excited, know this: Bids start at $100,000, so you'll need deep pockets to participate in the auction.

Also, no cats, you cat-people out there.

The BioArts project got its start back in 1998 after the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep was announced to the world the year before. An organization called Genetic Savings & Clone was established to collect the DNA of a dog named Missy, who was both beloved by her family and apparently advanced in age. The so-called Missyplicity project wasn't able to clone the dog before her death, but one of the participants, a South Korean scientist, eventually did clone a dog named Snuppy in 2006. One year later, clones of Missy were created and apparently they look and behave much as the original dog did, even down to the canine's odd preference for broccoli.

So, if you could clone your dog, would you? [Source: BestFriendsAgain.com, via KGO-San Francisco]

Click Here for a Strange Gallery of Cloned Fluorescent Cats

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Gadget Buyers Seen as Arrogant and Assertive, Study Finds

Will Safer — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

Assertive. A strong leader. Possibly arrogant.

Who do these traits typify? A presidential candidate? Captain of industry?

Not quite. According to a recent study conducted by Nielsen Online and Mindset Media, these are the typical character traits of many a gadget lover and early adopter. They are an assertive bunch, they show leadership traits and dynamism but interestingly enough these folks are low on modesty.

Sound like anyone you know?

The study surveyed 25,000 American adults and analyzed 20 personality traits or "mindsets" including openness, creativity, self esteem and spontaneity.

Those who scored high in leadership were 68 percent more likely to have purchased three or more computers in the past two years, the study found. And those who scored high in assertiveness were 62 percent more likely to purchase a new cell phone when the newest model arrived on the market.

The study also determined that tech consumers may be seen as conceited or arrogant by others, and that they pursue luxury brands as a sign of status. This jibes pretty well with the assessment that Apple fans tend to feel superior to others and could use a little modesty. (Or maybe they really are better people?) [Source: Reuters]

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London Eco-Club to Get Its Power From Dancers on the Dancefloor

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:17:00 EST

Filed under: Green Tech, Summer Fun

The Sustainable Dance Club (SDC), based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, made a big splash last year when it announced that it would be building an eco-friendly dance club, which would use a specially constructed dance floor that generated electricity when people danced on it. It's a year later, however, and the SDC is only now announcing that its green club, called Watt, will open in September. It took a feisty millionaire in England partnering with the organization to get the first eco-friendly, dancer-powered club off the ground, a month earlier than the group's home town project back in Holland.

The new club in the King's Cross area of London, England, is being funded by Andrew Charalambous, a millionaire property owner, and his organization Club4Climate, which specializes in green twists on recreation. The bar will serve organic booze and features a water recycling system. And here's a new twist to the whole "getting in for free" idea: Watt will waive the admission fee to anyone who can prove they walked, biked, or took public transportation to get there (will it have bike racks, we wonder?)

The centerpiece of the discogtheque, however, is the dance floor -- a spring-loaded platform that generates electricity as the crowd dances on top of it, compressing crystals and generating current through what is known as the piezo-electric effect, the same phenomena used in push-button lighters and grills. [Source: Sustainable Dance Club, via Daily Mail]

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Fewer Than 1 in 5 Doctors Use Efficient Electronic Medical Records

Tim Stevens — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:41:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

The next time you sign in for a doctor's appointment, take a look behind the registration counter. What do you see? Is it an array of modern computer terminals, or row upon row of shelves crammed with paper medical records? Chances are it's the latter, according to a recent survey, which found just one-in-five doctors have access to electronic records, with the rest stuck shuffling through folders when trying to diagnose a patient.

This is despite that very same survey showing that those who do have electronic record-keeping systems in their offices are far more efficiently able to treat their patients. Why the disparity? Cost, of course. Doctors are saying that adopting these systems are prohibitively expensive. Doctors are also saying that their productivity is greatly reduced as they transition from paper to electronics. For these reasons , they're asking the government aid to make the upgrades.

It's incredible that today's outrageous HMO fees and co-pays can't cover the cost, but one way or another, that stack of paper that's tracked you since birth is destined for the recycling bin -- ideally after a run through a shredder. [Source: The New York Times]

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Oldest Recording of Computer Music Uncovered

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers

Computer-based music had its humble beginnings, it turns out, as a rather tuneless scratchy recording of a melody featuring 'God Save the King,' 'Baa Baa Black Sheep,' and 'In the Mood' performed by a Ferranti Mark 1, the first commercially available general purpose computer. The performance was recorded in 1951, six years earlier than the previous oldest recording of computer music, performed by an IBM mainframe.

The recording was by the BBC for a show called 'Children's Hour' after it had discovered that programmers had coaxed computers to play music. The performance doesn't sound much better than a 6-year-old kid blowing into a bass kazoo, but it's nonetheless historic as it is currently the oldest recording of its type.

Still, the BBC tune is by no means the oldest instance of computer-based music. That honor goes to the CSIRAC, a Australian computer, which was the first computer to play music, beating the Ferranti by no more than a few months, but no recording of its performance has yet been unearthed.

The Ferranti Mark 1 is a direct descendant of Baby, the forefather of all modern computers, which the BBC is celebrating this month in honor of its 60th anniversary. [Source: BBC]

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Women With Long Finger Nails Complaining That iPhone Is Sexist

Tim Stevens — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:04:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhone

It's easy to see how some gadgets might be biased towards those who are right-handed versus left, and certainly some gadgets are completely unfriendly toward those with disabilities. But can a gadget be sexist? According to an article published in the Los Angeles Times, that's the claim being made by many women who believe the iPhone is unfairly designed to be completely unusable by those of the fairer sex with long fingernails.

Every application within the iPhone was specifically designed to be accessible with your fingertip. The touchscreen detects your body's electrical charge when it comes in contact with the device, enabling it to determine where you pressed. As a result, fingernails (especially of the glued-on variety) tend to get in the way while using the iPhone, which is irritating some women profusely.

Some women are calling for the iPhone to be redesigned to include stylus-control capability (as on some Windows Mobile and Palm Treo devices), but we're more inclined to think that long fingernails went out in the early '90s and that modern devices require modern manicures -- like the meticulously pristine digits used in Apple's advertising. [Source: DelawareOnline, via Shiny Shiny]

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Obama Combats Dirty Politics Via the Web

Evan Shamoon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:06:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

What with his understanding of all things newfangled, the Internet has been an enormous part of the fund-raising effort for Presidential hopeful Barack Obama. He's raised more than $265 million dollars, in fact, more than three times the amount raised by his Republican rival John McCain. Now, Obama is putting it to another use: Namely, fighting smear campaigns being run against him in his bid for the White House.

On Thursday, the Obama campaign unveiled a Web site called fightthesmears.com, which has a mission to debunk false rumors spawned and spread by right-wing media outlets. The move came after the recent (and unfounded) assertion by Rush Limbaugh (among others) that Obama's wife, Michelle, had been caught on tape slurring white people. Obama, of course, has been called everything from "Muslim extremist" to an "anti-American" -- and that was just during the primaries.

"We created an interactive tool to allow our supporters to fight back against these smears in the same way that they received them -- on the Internet," campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said. "People can upload their address books and easily send fact-based emails to their friends and family. Just knowing the truth isn't enough -- you have to proactively tell people the truth to fight back."

Three cheers for truthiness. [Source: AFP/Yahoo]

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Firefox 3.0 Released, Sets Download Record

Tim Stevens — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:32:00 EST

Filed under: Computers, Downloads

A few weeks back, developers of the Web browser Firefox announced that when the eagerly anticipated 3.0 version of their software was released, they wanted to break the Guinness World Record for most downloads in a 24-hour period. The only problem was they didn't say when that day would be. As it turns out, the clock started ticking yesterday at 2pm, and they've already eclipsed the 5 million mark they set out to achieve.

As of this morning, downloads currently stand at 6,250,796 worldwide, a third of those coming from the U.S. This is despite a number of problems that plagued the Firefox download sites yesterday, as they struggled to handle the demand from all those would-be record breakers. But, they made it, and so far, initial reports are very positive for this new release. Browsing is noticeably faster than with the last version, stability seems to have been improved, and the graphical refresh the menus and buttons have received gives everything a nice, clean appearance.

We'll have a full review of the release later, but if you still want to be a part of history you have until 2pm E.S.T. today to fire up your (older) browsers to start the downloadin'. [Source: Mashable]

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Hybrid 'Googlemobile' Ticketed!

Tim Stevens — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:23:00 EST

Filed under: Car Tech, Computers, Google

We've seen the Googlemobile before, captured in a window's reflection as it wove its way through the streets capturing images for Google's Street View feature on Google Maps. Since that earlier photo was taken, it seems Google's gone a bit green, ditching that big ugly van and choosing a Prius with a silly tall camera mounted on the roof. Being green doesn't mean necessarily being lawful, however, as this hybrid Googlemobile apparently broke some traffic violation and is about to be on the receiving end of a ticket from a California motorcycle policeman.

CHiPs it ain't, as we're guessing there wasn't a high-speed chase before this picture was taken, but it's an interesting look at the tech that makes Street View possible. [Source: The San Francisco Citizen]

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Excessive TV Viewing May Give Your Kids Asthma

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:34:00 EST

Filed under: Computers, TV

So guess what? It looks like sitting in front of that TV will give your kid asthma. Okay, so that's a bit of an exaggeration, but a new study published in the medical journal Epidemology finds that regularly plopping your youngster down in front of the TV for hours at a time may be a health hazard.

Televisions don't radiate asthma rays or lung-destroying radiation by themselves, but they aren't good for children who spend five or more hours a day in front of them, since couch potato kids develop shallow breathing patterns when they aren't moving around much. Those deep inhalations are necessary for developing and maintaining proper lung health. Children who watched just one hour or less of television were 50 percent less likely to develop asthma than those who watched five.

Still television isn't the greatest threat to your child's lungs. Obesity and high salt diets were the two biggest risk factors, though the study did find that the more TV a child watched or the more video games he/she played the more likely they were to have unhealthy diets. [Source: Telegraph]

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Sony Ericsson Debuts Massive 8.1 Megapixel C905 Cell Phone

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:54:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Cameras, Digital Camera, Summer Fun

No surprises here, but at least Sony Ericsson's C905 Cyber-shot is now official. As a camera, we're talking Xenon flash, face detection, image stabilization and 8.1 megapixels crammed into a tiny sensor of unspecified make or dimensions.

As a phone, we're looking at quad-band GSM (9-hours talk / 380 hours standby) and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 on the C905a worldphone variant. It also comes packing an auto-rotating, 2.4-inch scratch-resistant QVGA display, aGPS with Google Maps, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, TV-out, 2 gigabytes of included Memory Stick Micro (M2), and WiFi with DLNA support when this slider is loosed upon the globe in Q4.

For more images, check out Engadget's gallery. [Source: Sony Ericsson]

[Via Esato, thanks Adrian L.]

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Icon's Foldable, Two-Seater Plane Unveiled, Available Now

Joshua Fruhlinger — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Car Tech

Icon's foldable airplane is meant to fill that all-important gap between, say, hang gliders and commercial jets. This 2-seater Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) was unveiled last week to much applause by people with all sorts of cash.

From a gadget standpoint, though, the Icon is worth a little deconstruction. It's powered by a rear-facing, reciprocating engine, can be configured for water landing, has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 pounds, has a max airspeed of 120 knots (138 mph), and features a dashboard that's meant to be familiar to car drivers.

Unlike the Terrafugia, the Icon is meant to drive up to your house, but we figure you'll be cruising around in some expensive SUV with this thing in tow anyway. And better yet, you can order this thing online with a credit card and a $5,000 deposit. Check out the video of the Icon's unveiling after the break. [Source: Icon Aircraft via FreshCreation]

Continue reading Icon's Foldable, Two-Seater Plane Unveiled, Available Now

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Tardy Traveler Calls In Bomb Threat So He Can Catch His Flight

Will Safer — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Summer Fun

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and phoning in a bomb threat is certainly desperate enough if you're late for a flight. But be careful about leaving tracks. Read on, crimestoppers...

If you're into soccer - we mean really into soccer - then nothing will stop you from attending an important match. So take, for example, this German reporter, who was tasked with covering the European soccer championship and was late for his flight from Verona, Italy, to Vienna, Austria. What to do, what to do?

The options:

Print your ticket from home and go straight to the gate (great time saver).
Call the airline and book a later flight (responsible, yes, but you could miss your deadline).
Phone in a bomb threat from your mobile phone while en route to the airport (only for a man of action!).

Yes! You guessed it! Option number three wins out!

But wait! When desperate times and desperate measures are in play, it's important to keep your wits about you, and this is where the reporter lost his.

Upon arriving at the airport, he asked about his flight being delayed, even though no public announcement had been made, which made him prime suspect numero uno with the authorities and he was subsequently arrested. How did they know for sure it was him? Why, he left his digital tracks, of course.

A check of his mobile phone's call log revealed he was the source of the threatening call. [Source: Metro via Textually.org]

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Scientists Create Mutant Bugs that Produce Crude Oil

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: Green Tech

Like the beginning of every great science fiction movie, experts claim that they've discovered a cure for our fuel-dependency woes that only requires an army of genetically modified bacteria... that eats wheat straw and excretes crude oil.

You read that right: Scientists have created bugs that are able to snack on woodchips or sugar cane and produce waste in the form of easily malleable oil. Not only are the buggers capable of creating a by-product that can quickly be refined into fuel for vehicles, but scientists say the process is carbon-negative -- it outputs less carbon than is required to produce it. Director of the project -- dubbed LS9 -- Greg Pal says that barrel prices could run as low as $50, and that the company plans to have a commercial facility producing the crude in 2011.

And as for the potential threat of world-destroying attack from the mutant bugs? Says Pal, "We're putting these bacteria in a very isolated container: Their entire universe is in that tank. When we're done with them, they're destroyed." Sure buddy -- but we're going to re-watch 'Them!' just in case. [Source: Times Online]

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Famous French News Anchor Allegedly Fired Via Text Message

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Celebrities

Long time news anchor at French network TF1, Patrick Poivre d'Arvor (known also as PPDA), has been fired in (according to some reports) the most unceremonious way possible -- via text message.

The beloved TV news anchor is one of the biggest TV personalities in France and was seen nervously texting during the Roland Garros tennis tournament (aka, the French Open). PPDA was reportedly trading messages with Patrick Le Lay, chairman of the board of TF1, and, according to Paris Match, was looking pretty bummed.

Despite these speculatons, PPDA claims to have heard about his dismissal the same way as the rest of the public, via the news. In September, PPDA will be replaced by Laurence Ferrari.

Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen someone fired or dumped via impersonal electronic means, and we don't expect it to be the last! Do you think it's wrong? [Source: Textually.org]

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Honda's Hydrogen-Powered FCX Clarity Coming to the US, and It's a Celeb-Magnet

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:34:00 EST

If you're in the market for a fuel efficient car, but you've been holding out for something a little more advanced than the Prius, then your dreams may have just been answered.

Honda announced today that it would begin producing limited quantities of its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles for sale in the US and Japan over the next few years. According to the automaker, it plans to offer around 200 of the zero-emission cars in the next three years, with a few dozen models expected on the road this year leased at around $600 a month.

Of course, you'll have to be on some mighty exclusive list to get one of these babies, a list that's populated by -- naturally -- celebs including Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest, Linda Harris ('24'). When it comes to green motoring, hydrogen-powered vehicles are the new black in Hollywood -- according to USA Today, Magic Johnson and Ugly Betty's America Ferrera drive GM's hydrogen-powered Equinox, while Edward Norton, Cameron Diaz, and Brad Pitt drive a limited production, gas-hydrogen hybrid by BMW.

Said John Mendel, a senior vice president at Honda, "It's an especially significant day for American Honda as we plant firm footsteps toward the mainstreaming of fuel cell cars." Now all they have to do is get more than 3 fueling stations out there and we'll be all set. [Sources: CNN, AOL News/AP, Physorg.com]

Read - Honda rolls out fuel cell car
Read - Honda starts producing next-generation fuel cell car

Gallery: HydrogenCar-Lovin'-Celebs

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