Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Best of the Week: Jackson Still Breaking Records, Affordable 3-D Printing]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/best-of-the-week-jackson-still-breaking-records-affordable-3-d/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/best-of-the-week-jackson-still-breaking-records-affordable-3-d/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/best-of-the-week-jackson-still-breaking-records-affordable-3-d/#comments
Our familiar cell phones, boring billboards, even the predictably uncomfortable airline seats in coach -- it appears that this week, normal, everyday things we've taken for granted are changing, or disguising something sinister. Especially in New York, where cell phones are being used to hide razor blades or shanks. Over in New Zealand, morning commuters are getting a shock when their way to work is interrupted by a bleeding, crying safe-driving ad. And we've all grown accustomed to the hassle of flying, but Ryanair is taking it too far, trying to pack planes with standing customers. Yes, we live in a fast-paced world, but some mundane things should stay as they are, right? Other things that add to our confusion this week:

Filed under:

Best of the Week: Jackson Still Breaking Records, Affordable 3-D Printing originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bestoftheweekexpire-images:2010-7-12top switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Teenager Falls Down Manhole While Texting and Walking]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/teenager-falls-down-manhole-while-texting-and-walking/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/teenager-falls-down-manhole-while-texting-and-walking/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/teenager-falls-down-manhole-while-texting-and-walking/#comments

Numerous states have already implemented bans on texting while driving, but text-related injuries and deaths definitely aren't limited to the vehicular variety. In 2008, Illinois proposed legislation that would make texting and walking illegal, and now, as textual mishaps mount among pedestrians, those who ridiculed the idea may need to reconsider their stance.

The most recent walking-texting victim, 15-year-old Alexa Longueira of Staten Island, was happily (and obliviously) thumbing away when, in classic Looney Toons style, she disappeared into an open man hole cover. According to SILive.com, the teenager fell five feet, scraping her back and arms, before landing in a pile of muck.

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) workers said they left the hole unattended only while they were obtaining cones and markers with which to barricade it. DEP spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla said that the organization regrets the unfortunate incident, and that they hope Longueira fully and swiftly recovers. The Longueira family, of course, plan to pursue legal recourse.

If that doesn't satiate your thirst for texting failure, or if you just love slapstick and think bodily harm is hilarious, check out the Switched text-messaging Hall of Shame. [From: SILive.com]

Filed under:

Teenager Falls Down Manhole While Texting and Walking originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> killer gadgetsKillerGadgetstext failTextFailtexting injuriestexting while walkingTextingInjuriesTextingWhileWalkingtopTWW switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:52:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[ItemNotAsDescribed.com Shows Off Craigslist Failures]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/itemnotasdescribed-com-shows-off-craigslist-failures/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/itemnotasdescribed-com-shows-off-craigslist-failures/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/itemnotasdescribed-com-shows-off-craigslist-failures/#comments
Craigslist endures constant, heated criticism. But a relatively new fan-submitted site seeks to provide some Craigslist levity by highlighting the worst and mostly poorly described items on the site.

ItemNotAsDescribed.com contains an abundance of embellished "free" Craigslist items, hilariously exposing the depths of human filth and gullibility. Some of the offerings are certainly "not as described" -- like the "Modular Mobile Office Trailer," whose ramshackle walls appear to be leaking blood.

Continue reading ItemNotAsDescribed.com Shows Off Craigslist Failures

Filed under:

ItemNotAsDescribed.com Shows Off Craigslist Failures originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> craigslistfunnygrossitemnotasdescribedtopweb switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Self-Taught Einstein Bot Learns to Smile]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/self-taught-einstein-bot-learns-to-smile-creepily/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/self-taught-einstein-bot-learns-to-smile-creepily/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/self-taught-einstein-bot-learns-to-smile-creepily/#comments

In another step towards self-awareness, researchers at University of California, San Diego have developed a robot that teaches itself facial expressions. The realistic Einstein bot formerly required individually programmed facial movements, but through a trial-and-error technique UCSD has dubbed 'body babble,' the AI experiments with its mug until it achieves a real expression.

Linked to facial recognition software, each time robo-Einstein experimented with a position that was an actual expression, it received positive feedback. Next time it 'body babbled,' its motors had a bias towards already established emotional displays, and a type of experimental learning evolved through the bots random movements.

Continue reading Self-Taught Einstein Bot Learns to Smile

Filed under:

Self-Taught Einstein Bot Learns to Smile originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> aibotexperimentlearningrobotsciencetopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Jay Leno Replaces Old Car Parts Using 3-D Printer]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/jay-leno-replaces-old-car-parts-using-3-d-printer/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/jay-leno-replaces-old-car-parts-using-3-d-printer/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/12/jay-leno-replaces-old-car-parts-using-3-d-printer/#comments
Though still not priced at a mass consumer level, 3-D printing is a real technology that's currently being used by everyone from military surgeons to architects. The ability to produce rapid physical prototypes of just about any object is particularly useful for car collector Jay Leno, because broken parts of old cars are impossible to replace due to their age. A machinist could attempt to craft a new piece by hand, but the process is not only costly, it's also lacks the precision needed for such parts.

In a story for Popular Mechanics, Leno details the process and benefits of printing new car parts and molds, and made a video with a live demonstration. What's more fascinating than printed, unmoving car parts, though, is the crescent wrench that Jay makes: the wheel that closes and opens the wrench actually moves and works just like it should, straight from the printer.

If you want to print your own car parts, or perhaps some 'World of Warcraft' figurines, you'll need both a 3D scanner and the printer itself. The models used by Leno are the NextEngine 3D Scanner and the Dimension uPrint Personal 3D Printer, and cost $2995 and $15,000, respectively. Sure, it's still pretty pricey, but when you consider the fact that this technology cost hundreds of thousands of dollars just a few years ago, it shouldn't be too long before we see 3D printers at our local Best Buy. [From: Popular Mechanics]

Filed under: ,

Jay Leno Replaces Old Car Parts Using 3-D Printer originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> 3dprintercelebritydesignjaylenoprintertop switchedtips@gmail.com (Kaiser Hwang) Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:38:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[10 Nerdiest Cakes Ever]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/ten-of-the-nerdiest-cakes-ever/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/ten-of-the-nerdiest-cakes-ever/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/ten-of-the-nerdiest-cakes-ever/#comments If you're a fan of the Food Network, chances are you've seen one of the cable channel's many cake-related shows that air daily, from the crazy cake challenges to the one and only 'Ace of Cakes.' Now imagine if all of those cake makers were actually 'Star Trek,' 'Metroid,' and 'Dungeons & Dragons' fanatics. Just take a moment to picture what kind of cakes they would make in their free time....

Having trouble? The folks over at Streetlevel has you covered. They've scoured the Web and have found ten incredibly nerdy (cool?) cakes for your viewing pleasure. If you doubt how nerdy a cake can actually be, just take one look at the Twitter Fail Whale cake pictured above. Yes, that's real. Hit the link for nine more cakes that will either make you cringe, or yell "Awesome!" (complete with a fist pump). [From: Streetlevel]

10 Nerdiest Cakes Ever originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> cakecookingfoodgeekgeekculturehumornerdytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Kaiser Hwang) Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Internet Video Makes Fun of Internet Videos]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/internet-video-makes-fun-of-internet-videos/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/internet-video-makes-fun-of-internet-videos/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/internet-video-makes-fun-of-internet-videos/#comments
Ever get sent a link to, say, a YouTube video, and, after watching it, think, "I can't believe I just sat through that whole video." Yeah, us too. Well, the folks at College Humor have whipped up an original video based on those all too frequent moments entitled "Five Minutes Back." We don't want to spoil anything for you, but after watching the video, the double-entendre should give you a chuckle. There's also plenty of recursive meta elements to the video, if you're into that kinda thing. Just make sure to watch the whole thing to catch the punchline. [From: BuzzFeed]

Filed under:

Internet Video Makes Fun of Internet Videos originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> humortopvideoyoutube switchedtips@gmail.com (Kaiser Hwang) Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Live NFL Games Streaming Soon to Your iPhone]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/live-nfl-games-streaming-soon-to-your-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/live-nfl-games-streaming-soon-to-your-iphone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/live-nfl-games-streaming-soon-to-your-iphone/#comments Thankfully, football season is right around the corner. That's right, time to enjoy some ice-cold beverages on the couch while watching your favorite team either triumph or flounder each weekend. While it might be a long season for some fans (sorry again, Detroit), no one wants to miss a minute of it. Thanks to Apple and DirecTV, you won't.

DirecTV's 'Supercast Mobile' iPhone app allows fans to stream live NFL games on Apple's mobile device via 3G and Wi-Fi. To use the app, of course you have to be a DirecTV subscriber. On top of that, you must pay $280 for the NFL Sunday Ticket Package and another $180 for the Sunday Ticket 'Superfan' pass. Games are also subject to local blackout restrictions, which means Packers fans in Green Bay are probably out of luck when it comes to using the app.

Continue reading Live NFL Games Streaming Soon to Your iPhone

Filed under: ,

Live NFL Games Streaming Soon to Your iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> appleapplicationdirectviphonenflsportsstreamingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Caleb Johnson) Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Man Claims to Have Written Longest Tweet Ever (247 Characters)]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/longest-tweet-ever-and-its-not-140-characters/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/longest-tweet-ever-and-its-not-140-characters/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/longest-tweet-ever-and-its-not-140-characters/#comments Longest Tweet Ever, and It's Not 140 Characters

A lot is made of Twitter's 140-character limit, a defining feature of the microblogging site. But Twitter has a dark secret -- you can actually send a message of up to 247 characters.

Forbes writer Taylor Buley discovered that if you send a message longer than 140 characters to Twitter, you don't actually lose the rest of your message. The bug, or feature, depending on how you look at it, has been known since at least as far back as May, when Amer Kawar tried sending a very long quote and discovered that his full tweet was simply hidden. If you break the 140-character limit, Twitter shortens the post to 136 characters, and the last four spaces are used for an ellipsis. What you may not realize is that the ellipsis is a link. Click it and the full message is revealed.

Kawar eventually hit 246 characters, and assumed that was the upper limit, but Buley did him one better and sent what he claims is the longest tweet in the world -- 247 characters. What did he do with his almost double length post? Suck up to his boss Steve Forbes, of course. Well, we suppose it's better than getting yourself fired. [From: Forbes, via Gawker]

Filed under: ,

Man Claims to Have Written Longest Tweet Ever (247 Characters) originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> longestsuperlativetoptwitter switchedtips@gmail.com (Terrence O'Brien) Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:03:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Ever Heard of Inferno? (Obscure Operating Systems the World Forgot)]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/ever-heard-of-inferno-obscure-operating-systems-the-world-forg/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/ever-heard-of-inferno-obscure-operating-systems-the-world-forg/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/11/ever-heard-of-inferno-obscure-operating-systems-the-world-forg/#comments Operating Systems the World Forgot

We've covered nostalgic tech before. Several times. We can't help it -- everyone love a little blast from the past once in a while. So when we saw yet another list of "forgotten" operating systems (this one from Silicon Alley Insider), we just had to bring it to your attention.

The previous list (from Computer World) was populated with obscure operating systems (OS) from eras past, but all they were all ones we'd heard of (yes, most tech nerds know of Amiga and NeXTStep, even if the general public might not). Silicon Alley Insider's includes some of those knowns, but from there it branches out into far more obscure territory. For instance, no one here at SwitchedHQ has even heard of Inferno (an experimental OS developed by Bell Labs in the mid '90s) or XTS-400 (a system apparently still used by military technology).

Hit the read link for more obscure and aging computing goodness. [From: Silicon Alley Insider]

Filed under: ,

Ever Heard of Inferno? (Obscure Operating Systems the World Forgot) originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> nostalgiaoperating systemOperatingSystemOStop switchedtips@gmail.com (Terrence O'Brien) Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:03:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Robo-Table, Michael Jackson Flash Mob]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/best-of-the-rest-tk/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/best-of-the-rest-tk/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/best-of-the-rest-tk/#comments

There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw recently on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.
  • Forget the Segway: this new remote-control table robot (pictured) balances your meal on two wheels. [Unplggd]
  • We hate to break it to you, but your friends and coworkers can't stand when you send huge attachments via e-mail. Spare them the inbox-filling files and upload your message to a free file-sharing site (once the file is up, you can share it with a simple link). [geeksugar]
  • Ah, the troubles of the twenty-first century... With point-and-shoots, DSLRs, and cameras on our iPhones and BlackBerrys, we've got more photos than ever before. Check out Mac app 'Cameras' to keep things organized. [DownloadSquad]
  • People just never seem to tire of flash mobs. The latest? A giant tribute to Michael Jackson. [LiveLeak.com via Urlesque]
Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our new Tumblr blog.

Filed under:

Best of the Rest: Robo-Table, Michael Jackson Flash Mob originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bestoftheresttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Thomas Houston) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Sarah Palin Impersonated on Twitter, Site Institutes 'Verified' Status]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/sarah-palin-impersonated-on-twitter-site-institutes-verified/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/sarah-palin-impersonated-on-twitter-site-institutes-verified/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/sarah-palin-impersonated-on-twitter-site-institutes-verified/#comments

Sarah Palin may be receiving a surge of new friends on Facebook, but she's not getting quite the same warm welcome over on Twitter, where dozens of fake Sarah Palins tweet away. "Unfortunately fake 'Gov Sarah Palin' twitter sites r doing their thing today, So sorry if u recv false info @ fake site," Palin tweeted in response to the plethora of Palin impersonators.

According to Bloomberg, accounts like "hockeymom64" and "ExGovSarahPalin" are tweeting false information, but Palin is hardly the only one battling against a sea of fake accounts. Many famous Twitterers have fallen victim to fakesters and account hackers. This is truly troublesome, particularly considering -- like it or not -- the significant, underground news source that Twitter has become. How can the truth prevail?

"Twitter does need to strengthen its notion of identity as it plays a greater role in the public conversation, if it wants to have impact," Gartner Inc. research analyst Ray Valdes told Bloomberg.

Fortunately, Twitter has introduced a new feature that "verifies" those oft-impersonated celebrities -- but only accounts, not the tweets themselves. Sarah Palin gets a cute little check-mark on her Twitter page, but there's nothing she can do to rid the site of impostors. So before you praise or damn the next thing she says, make sure it really comes from her mouth...er, fingers. [From: Bloomberg]

Filed under: ,

Sarah Palin Impersonated on Twitter, Site Institutes 'Verified' Status originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> celebrityhackhoaxmicrobloggingpalinpoliticssarah palinSarahPalintoptwitter switchedtips@gmail.com (Kendra Cunningham) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:22:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[French Hackers Give the Finger to President Sarkozy's Internet Bill]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/french-hackers-give-the-finger-to-presidents-internet-bill/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/french-hackers-give-the-finger-to-presidents-internet-bill/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/french-hackers-give-the-finger-to-presidents-internet-bill/#comments In an effort to expose flaws in a controversial bill, a group of French hackers recently stuck it to the man with some new software. The man, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, can't be too happy about it either.

The 'HADOPI Router,' named as a snarky tribute to Sarkozy's law, allows its creators to access and use password-protected Wi-Fi networks by hijacking a router without the account holder having any clue, according to BoingBoing. The goal is to prove that Sarkozy's Hadopi agency, which uses network forensics to track down illegal file-sharers, is unreliable and fairly ridiculous. The bill allows courts to take action against parents who might not even have shared files, but are deemed 'negligent' because they pay the ISP bill that was illegally used, according to TorrentFreak. To highlight this, the hackers found a way to make a router send traffic through a random variety of networks in a neighborhood, creating a number of muddy and false trails that would be nearly impossible to accurately trace.

Basically, the hackers are trying to tell the French government what many folks already know: It's difficult to identify a person based solely on an IP address. Correctly identifying someone is important, too, especially in court. But since Sarkozy's bill only allows five-minutes for the judge to rule on a case, this attempt at 'digital justice' will most likely fall on deaf ears. [From: BoingBoing and TorrentFreak]

Filed under: ,

French Hackers Give the Finger to President Sarkozy's Internet Bill originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> filesharingfrancehackisplawnicolas sarkozyNicolasSarkozypiracytopwifi switchedtips@gmail.com (Caleb Johnson) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Plots Disappearing From Porn, Thanks to Short Online Attention Spans]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/porn-plots-suffer-on-the-net/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/porn-plots-suffer-on-the-net/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/porn-plots-suffer-on-the-net/#comments Whether you overindulge in it or find it morally repulsive, the pornography industry and technology have a very, well, intimate relationship. When the world was deciding between VHS and Betamax, the adult industry chose VHS, and everyone listened. Hopefully, this trend doesn't cross over into content, because, as the New York Times reports, the Web is destroying the creativity behind pornography.

Two notable things: Yes, there apparently is creativity involved in porn, and secondly, since users find their attention spans shrinking, if the story doesn't pick up in the first minute, watchers move on. Vivid Entertainment's co-chairman Steven Hirsch tells the Times that, "On the Internet, the average attention span is three to five minutes. We have to cater to that." So, there goes the loose plots that made classics like 'Deep Throat' and 'Debbie Does Dallas' mainstream crossovers.

Continue reading Plots Disappearing From Porn, Thanks to Short Online Attention Spans

Filed under:

Plots Disappearing From Porn, Thanks to Short Online Attention Spans originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> adultattention spanAttentionSpancameraindustryinternetpornpornographytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:07:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Crook Reaches Through Window to Swipe Laptop From Man's Lap]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/fearless-crook-swipes-victims-computer-from-his-lap/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/fearless-crook-swipes-victims-computer-from-his-lap/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/fearless-crook-swipes-victims-computer-from-his-lap/#comments

Several weeks ago, brazen thieves stole 31 computer monitors from a Canadian man's driveway as he was preparing to load them for transport. In Minneapolis on the 4th of July, an even more audacious (or inebriated) would-be bandit reached through local resident Jesse Phoutthaphaphone's window and stole his laptop, directly out of the shocked Phoutthaphaphone's hands.

According to local NBC affiliate KARE 11, the victim, who had been checking out his MySpace page dressed only in his skivvies, bolted from the house and chased the thief into a nearby resident's garage. With the neighbor's help, the thief was overpowered, but, alas, the laptop hit the ground and shattered during the battle. The two men did manage to subdue the culprit until police arrived, though.

Continue reading Crook Reaches Through Window to Swipe Laptop From Man's Lap

Filed under: ,

Crook Reaches Through Window to Swipe Laptop From Man's Lap originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> crimelaptoptheftthieftop switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Affordable MakerBot 'Prints' 3-D Objects (Even Designers Approve)]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/affordable-makerbot-prints-out-3-d-objects-even-designers-app/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/affordable-makerbot-prints-out-3-d-objects-even-designers-app/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/affordable-makerbot-prints-out-3-d-objects-even-designers-app/#comments If Bre Pettis had it his way, the next thing you bought online wouldn't be shipped to you -- it would materialize itself on your desk via your very own 3-D printer. Enter the MakerBot. Developed by the circuit-bent minds of Brooklyn, NY hacker club NYC Resistor, the MakerBot "Cupcake CNC" is an open-source, build-it-yourself robotic factory for your tabletop that makes your computer designs into actual 3-D objects -- and at $750, it's a fraction of the cost of a standard, pro-grade 3-D printer like the $15,000 one Jay Leno recently tried out for Popular Mechanics.

Given its hacker-y pedigree, the robotic printer is already being put to "alternative" uses. Last month, MakerBot was shown off on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,' boasting its robotic prowess by frosting desserts, using icing instead of plastic (a digital design of frosting on a cupcake enabled it to go through the cupcake-decorating motions).

Confections are one thing, but how does this 'build it yourself' machine handle traditional 3-D designs? To find out, we asked Brooklynites Kegan Fisher and Liz Kinmark, the creatives and heads of up-and-coming, indie design-firm Design Glut, to design an object of our choosing on their computer in one day, and then take it to the MakerBot to 'print' out a working prototype. The girls used their very real, very official 3-D rendering skills to create a usable object, in this case, a salt-and-pepper shaker (hey, we needed something for our July 4th cookout). Take a look!

Filed under: , ,

Affordable MakerBot 'Prints' 3-D Objects (Even Designers Approve) originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> designglutfeaturesmakerbotnycresistortop switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Morning Xtra: Web Words in Websters, Queen Elizabeth Tweets]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/morning-xtra-web-words-in-websters-the-queen-tweets/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/morning-xtra-web-words-in-websters-the-queen-tweets/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/morning-xtra-web-words-in-websters-the-queen-tweets/#comments
Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines....

Filed under:

Morning Xtra: Web Words in Websters, Queen Elizabeth Tweets originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> morningxtranewstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:50:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[The Daily Engadget: Blazing iPods, Most Rugged Cell Phone]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/the-daily-engadget-blazing-ipods-most-rugged-cell-phone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/the-daily-engadget-blazing-ipods-most-rugged-cell-phone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/the-daily-engadget-blazing-ipods-most-rugged-cell-phone/#comments

Our friends over at Engadget obsessively cover everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics, which is why we compile this daily roundup of their top stuff. For more details on any of these stories, click on the Engadget links in each story below.

iPod May Have Set Saab Ablaze
Ah, blazing iPods, you've got a special place in our hearts. This time, a combustible iProduct is rumored to have started a blaze inside a Swedish Saab 9-3 car.

The Ultimate Outdoor Phone?
While not the prettiest phone out there, Nokia's new 3720 is being touted as the most rugged with its dust- and splash-proof design.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Blazing iPods, Most Rugged Cell Phone

Filed under:

The Daily Engadget: Blazing iPods, Most Rugged Cell Phone originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> thedailyengadgettop switchedtips@gmail.com (Thomas Houston) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:58:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Soviets Made Last Ditch Effort to Beat U.S. With Moon Samples]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/russians-made-last-ditch-effort-to-beat-u-s-with-moon-samples/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/russians-made-last-ditch-effort-to-beat-u-s-with-moon-samples/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/russians-made-last-ditch-effort-to-beat-u-s-with-moon-samples/#comments
A newly released recording reveals that the Soviet Union made a last minute attempt to beat the United States back to Earth with the first samples of the Moon's surface. The recording, made by astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, has Lovell tracking and narrating the unmanned Russian craft Luna 15's journey and eventual crash onto the Moon's surface, just hours before Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and 'Buzz' Aldrin were scheduled to head back to Earth. The Apollo 11 astronauts can also be heard on the recording, as well as others in the room, with Lovell shouting "it's landing" and "it's going down much too fast" as Luna 15 made its fatal landing.

This attempt by the Russians to steal a off-Earth victory took place during the infamous space race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1950s-1970s. It also took place right in the middle of yet another conflict between the two nations: the Cold War. The era was rife with fierce competition, and as the recording shows, there was no lack of effort on the Soviet Union's part to come out on top. An anonymous voice at the end of the recording sums it up best when it says, "I say, this has really been drama of the highest order." [From: Telegraph via Neatorama]

Soviets Made Last Ditch Effort to Beat U.S. With Moon Samples originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> coldwarmoonspacespaceracetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Kaiser Hwang) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:02:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Bing Bigger Than CNN, as Popular as MySpace? Not Likely.]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/bing-bigger-than-cnn-as-popular-as-myspace-not-likely/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/bing-bigger-than-cnn-as-popular-as-myspace-not-likely/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/bing-bigger-than-cnn-as-popular-as-myspace-not-likely/#comments Microsoft's new search engine Bing (the "decision engine") debuted to generally positive reviews -- the venerable David Pogue at the New York Times even claims that Bing out-googles Google in some ways. Similarly, Bing seems to be excelling on the traffic front; new numbers suggest the search site is outperforming some of the Web's most popular sites.

According to traffic-tracking firm Compete's June numbers, Bing attracted just shy of 50 million unique visitors in June, catapulting the fledgling search site to the 13th most trafficked Web site on the Internet. Bing leaped ahead of sites such as Twitter, Digg, and CNN. Although the site's traffic was only a third of search powerhouse Google, these numbers (if accurate) would indicate a huge win for Microsoft, a laggard in the search space.

The numbers, reported by Mashable, sounded a tad strange to us, as did the claim that Bing was now "bigger than Digg, Twitter and CNN." First, how did so many people -- enough to rival the traffic generated by MySpace -- become Bing devotees almost overnight? This sudden growth, while not misleading, may not tell the full story.

Continue reading Bing Bigger Than CNN, as Popular as MySpace? Not Likely.

Filed under:

Bing Bigger Than CNN, as Popular as MySpace? Not Likely. originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bingcompetemicrosofttopweb analyticsweb trackingWebAnalyticsWebTracking switchedtips@gmail.com (Terrence O'Brien) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[NFL Unleashes Its Banal Fury on Twitter]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/nfl-unleashes-its-banal-fury-on-twitter/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/nfl-unleashes-its-banal-fury-on-twitter/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/nfl-unleashes-its-banal-fury-on-twitter/#comments
The NFL is apparently trying to maintain its reputation as the "No Fun League," and the current object of the staid organization's grumpy wrath is a familiar suspect. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (né Johnson) recently proclaimed to Houston's KGOW Radio that he intended to use "Twitter during games, during halftime, and after the games" so that he "can really make it fun," according to The Sporting News.

Hearing the dreaded "f" word, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told ProFootballTalk.com that the league will not permit in-game twittering by anyone on the sidelines. That's right. Eliminating player-fan interaction, end zone celebrations, and creative Sharpie demonstrations really makes the game more entertaining, Greg. Maybe you can just go ahead and get rid of that crazy forward pass, too.

The next organization to unreasonably place restrictions on Twitter and other social networks? Probably not the comparatively lighthearted NBA (which fined several high-profile Twitterers last season but didn't implement a ban). But, we think the old-fashioned and outdated NCAA would be an excellent bet. [From: The Sporting News]

Filed under:

NFL Unleashes Its Banal Fury on Twitter originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> chad ocho cincoChadOchoCincofootballnflsportstoptwitter switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:09:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Webcams Bridge Band's Global Fans in Wild Video]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/webcams-bridge-bands-global-fans-in-wild-video/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/webcams-bridge-bands-global-fans-in-wild-video/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/webcams-bridge-bands-global-fans-in-wild-video/#comments

Without question, the above is one of the most captivating viral videos to have crossed our monitors here at Switched in ages. Not to mention one of the most mysterious

Of Japanese origin (where else?), this piece of cyber-surrealism was directed by Masashi Kawamura, Hal Kirkland, Magico Nakamura, and Masayoshi Nakamura as a music video for SOUR, a quirky, three-piece band. 'Hibi no neiro' (translated: "tone of everyday") reminds us of this similarly artsy, now-legendary skate video, but kicks the eye-rubbing and head-shaking level up a few notches. The band had its fans film themselves via webcam for the extraordinarily coordinated and edited production. Just watch the dang thing.

Continue reading Webcams Bridge Band's Global Fans in Wild Video

Filed under:

Webcams Bridge Band's Global Fans in Wild Video originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> japanmusic videoMusicVideosourtopviral videoViralVideoweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best of the Rest: 'Donkey Kong' in Real Life, Power Up Your Browser]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/best-of-the-rest-donkey-kong-in-real-life-power-up-your-brow/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/best-of-the-rest-donkey-kong-in-real-life-power-up-your-brow/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/best-of-the-rest-donkey-kong-in-real-life-power-up-your-brow/#comments
There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw today on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.
  • Whoever figures out the as-yet-underived formula for Internet success will rule the Web. The latest viral vid combines stop-motion, real life, and retro gaming classic 'Donkey Kong.' [Geeokologie]
  • Slow browser? DownloadSquad's got 15+ handy dandy bookmarklets to power up your Web surfing. [DownloadSquad]
  • The local watering hole can get stale sometimes, so grab the Drinkspiration iPhone App and spice up your evening outings with some quality recommendations. [TUAW]
  • Google Earth contains an enormous amount of data, and you're bound to find some weird stuff. Fortunately, Manofest documents 50 of the weirdest things on our globe's surface for you. [Manofest]
Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our new Tumblr blog.

Filed under:

Best of the Rest: 'Donkey Kong' in Real Life, Power Up Your Browser originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bestoftheresttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Thomas Houston) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:22:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[HDTV Listings for July 9, 2009]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/hdtv-listings-for-july-9-2009/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/hdtv-listings-for-july-9-2009/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/hdtv-listings-for-july-9-2009/#comments What we're watching tonight:
  • Syfy (1080i) has 'ECW' at 7 p.m.
  • WGN (1080i) airs 'WWE Superstars' at 8 p.m.
  • Discovery (1080i) airs a special 'Pitchmen: A Tribute to Billy Mays' at 9 p.m.
  • ABC (720p) has 'Samantha Who?' at 8 & 8:30 p.m.
  • USA (1080i) has 'Burn Notice' at 9 p.m. and 'Royal Pains' at 10 p.m.
  • A&E (720p) airs 'Crime 360' at 10 p.m
  • Spike (1080i) has 'TNA Impact!' at 9 p.m.
  • History (720p) has 'Gangland' at 9 p.m.
  • TLC (1080i) brings the season premiere of 'L.A. Ink' at 10 p.m.
  • NBC (1080i) has 'The Listener' at 10 p.m.
  • ESPN2 (720p) has Monarchs/Storm WNBA action at 9 p.m.

Filed under: ,

HDTV Listings for July 9, 2009 originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> hdtvlistingstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Switched Staff) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['The Matrix' Fulfilled: EATR Military Robots to Use Biomatter as Fuel ]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/the-matrix-fulfilled-eatr-military-robots-to-use-biomatter-a/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/the-matrix-fulfilled-eatr-military-robots-to-use-biomatter-a/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/the-matrix-fulfilled-eatr-military-robots-to-use-biomatter-a/#comments
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a research and development organization for the Department of Defense, aims to "maintain the technological superiority of the U.S military." It seeks to accomplish this goal by developing robots, lasers, spacecraft, and other awesome futuristic weapons of annihilation. It also apparently has no desire to heed the warnings of the 'Matrix' or 'Terminator' movies.

According to The Register, the group's latest design, the Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR), is a pilot-less, steam-powered drone. Designed for long-range missions, it refuels itself by devouring any fossil fuels or biological matter in its path. While DARPA mentions using refuse such as apple cores for fuel, it's difficult to imagine these things not being used to harvest people as an energy source.

Continue reading 'The Matrix' Fulfilled: EATR Military Robots to Use Biomatter as Fuel

Filed under:

'The Matrix' Fulfilled: EATR Military Robots to Use Biomatter as Fuel originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> darpadarpatecheatrrobotsterminatorthe matrixTheMatrixtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:31:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Seeing-Eye Fabric Developed By MIT Researchers]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/seeing-eye-fabric-developed-by-mit-researchers/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/seeing-eye-fabric-developed-by-mit-researchers/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/seeing-eye-fabric-developed-by-mit-researchers/#comments Those dang MIT brainiacs. When they're not cracking people up with their erudite pranks and kooky creations, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing something to make the rest of the world feel insignificant and, well, let's just say undereducated. Institute researchers, according to CNet, have created a fabric with intertwining fibers that act as a basic camera.

The fibers, which can discern between two different light frequencies, produce a signal that is then amplified and processed by a computer. In its first successful trial, the process culminated in a smiley face displayed on the fabric, itself. Yoel Fink, one of the researchers, asserted that the groundbreaking design is the first to employ fabric that "can collect images just like a camera but without a lens."

The researchers believe the technology could be instrumental in battlefield scenarios, giving soldiers a 360-degree view of their surroundings. With this new camera suit, we hope to see a thrilling fiber-optic race to create a working invisibility jumpsuit or a functional chameleon cloak. Should MIT win that race, Cal Tech students need to be very worried. [From: CNet, via Slashdot]

Filed under: ,

Seeing-Eye Fabric Developed By MIT Researchers originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> camerafiber opticFiberOpticmilitarymitsciencetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[World's First Bionic Gosling]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/worlds-first-bionic-gosling/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/worlds-first-bionic-gosling/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/worlds-first-bionic-gosling/#comments What's good for the goose is good for the... well, everyone. When a two-week-old gosling with a broken leg was brought into Tiggywinkles (yes, we are serious) Animal Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England, the attending veterinarians couldn't bring themselves to euthanize her.

Instead, they decided to outfit the goose with a bionic leg -- a first for geese according to the Telegraph (though falcons and condors have already received similar operations). After fitting the little lady, whose name is Betty, with a leg brace, the doctors rejoiced as she soon thereafter began waddling again. Hoping to return her to the wild within the next month, doctors are just pleased to have made Betty the Goose newly bionic. [From: Telegraph.co.uk]

World's First Bionic Gosling originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> animalsbionicgoosenaturetopveterinarianweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:58:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Facebook Crime and Punishment]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/facebook-crime-and-punishment/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/facebook-crime-and-punishment/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/facebook-crime-and-punishment/#comments

As we're sure you're all aware by now, Facebook, when used recklessly, can get you into trouble. Firings, break-ups and general forehead-slapping missteps are no strangers to the social networking site. But Facebook trouble can be much more grave than all that. Look behind the break and catch a glimpse of Facebook's dark criminal underbelly, if you dare.

Continue reading Facebook Crime and Punishment

Filed under: ,

Facebook Crime and Punishment originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> crimefacebookfacebookfacelossfeaturesstupiditytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Switched Staff) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:56:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Thieves Rob Cell Phone Store, Forget to Take Valuables]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/thieves-rob-cell-phone-store-forget-to-take-valuables/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/thieves-rob-cell-phone-store-forget-to-take-valuables/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/thieves-rob-cell-phone-store-forget-to-take-valuables/#comments We here at the Switched offices have seen a lot of stories about stupid people, including a few about seriously dumb thieves, but this tale about some moronic criminals from Morelia, Mexico is certainly our favorite. Unlike this tale about thieves who left behind perfectly good steal-ables, our friends from Mexico didn't take anything that could possibly be construed as valuable.

Employees at a Telefonica Movistar, a cell phone store, arrived Tuesday morning to find they had been burglarized. Astoundingly, the only thing missing was the hollow dummy handsets intended for display only. The thieves left the registers full of cash and the store's stock of actual, functioning cell phones unperturbed.

We really hope theft isn't the primary source of income for these dimwits. Otherwise, it's going to be a real tough month around their den. [From: AP/SFGate]

Filed under:

Thieves Rob Cell Phone Store, Forget to Take Valuables originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> cell phoneCellPhonecrimedumb criminalDumbCriminalthefttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Terrence O'Brien) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Morning Xtra: The Pope's HandyCam, Twittering From Space]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/morning-xtra-the-popes-handycam-twittering-from-space/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/morning-xtra-the-popes-handycam-twittering-from-space/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/morning-xtra-the-popes-handycam-twittering-from-space/#comments
Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines....

Filed under:

Morning Xtra: The Pope's HandyCam, Twittering From Space originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> internetmorningxtramyspacenasanascarnewsnielsentoptwitter switchedtips@gmail.com (Leila Brillson) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:58:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[The Daily Engadget: TiVo and Best Buy Partner, Kindle 2 Price Cut]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/the-daily-engadget-tivo-and-best-buy-partner-kindle-2-price-cu/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/the-daily-engadget-tivo-and-best-buy-partner-kindle-2-price-cu/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/the-daily-engadget-tivo-and-best-buy-partner-kindle-2-price-cu/#comments

Our friends over at Engadget obsessively cover everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics, which is why we compile this daily roundup of their top stuff. For more details on any of these stories, click on the Engadget links in each story below.

TiVo and Best Buy
This morning, Best Buy and TiVo announced a "broad partnership" that includes a strong TiVo retail push at stores nationwide. Per the announcement, TiVo and Best Buy are also developing a co-branded digital video recorder (DVR), and TiVo's software will be included in some of Best Buy's branded televisions.

Kindle 2 Price Cut
Amazon's Kindle 2 just got a bit more affordable. The online mega-retailer just hacked $60 off the price of the popular e-reader. It now retails for $299.

Watch Out, Booth Babes!
We've always thought being a 'booth babe' was a stable line of work, but a new technology from 3M and Epson may soon render those jobs obsolete. Using backlit, video-display technology and 0.3-mm-thin material, the talking spokesperson will repeat your pitch without ever getting tired. That said, the delivery's a little flat. Don't miss the video.

World's First Fuel Cell-Powered Plane
 Fuel cells are popping up everywhere these days, and they're finally taking to the air. The Antares DLR-H2 is the world's first piloted airplane powered by fuel cells. Check out the video here.

Filed under:

The Daily Engadget: TiVo and Best Buy Partner, Kindle 2 Price Cut originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> thedailyengadgettop switchedtips@gmail.com (Thomas Houston) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Japanese Dinosaur Exhibit a Virtual 'Jurassic Park']]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/japanese-dinosaur-exhibit-a-virtual-jurassic-park/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/japanese-dinosaur-exhibit-a-virtual-jurassic-park/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/japanese-dinosaur-exhibit-a-virtual-jurassic-park/#comments While cloning is still in its infancy, the Canon corporation is doing the next best thing to genetically reproducing departed species: virtually recreating them. According to DVICE, the global imaging company, which has also designed a virtual aquarium exhibit, is developing a museum show in Chiba, Japan called "Dinosaurs -- Miracles of the Desert."

Wearing virtual reality goggles, visitors to Chiba's eco-science event will be able to examine 45 species of over 260 3-D, nearly life-size, virtual dinosaurs, some of which will move around in a (theoretically, of course) realistic manner. The exposition will be open from July 18th to August 1st, so there's not much time before the dinosaurs become virtually extinct.

Continue reading Japanese Dinosaur Exhibit a Virtual 'Jurassic Park'

Filed under: ,

Japanese Dinosaur Exhibit a Virtual 'Jurassic Park' originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> canondinosaurjapanmuseumtopvirtual realityVirtualRealityweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Death by Cell Phone' Ad Campaign Launches in Florida]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/death-by-cell-phone-ad-campaign-launches-in-florida/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/death-by-cell-phone-ad-campaign-launches-in-florida/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/death-by-cell-phone-ad-campaign-launches-in-florida/#comments
Everyday, people drive with their ears stuck to cell phones or their eyes glancing between text messages and the road. Most never even give their DWT (driving while texting/talking) a second thought. The team behind a new ad campaign hopes to change that.

The not-for-profit National Safety Council just launched a Florida billboard campaign called 'Death by Cell Phone.' According to Fort Myers-based News-Press.com, the billboards (pictured above) feature images of a 61-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy, both of whom died in accidents caused by drivers on cell phones. Eventually, the campaign will span 67 markets in 37 states. The NSC says that people who are chatting on cell phones are four times more likely to crash than those who aren't. According to the organization, such DWTs cause 636,000 accidents and 2,600 deaths every year. The NSC hopes the billboards, which will be seen by about 56,000 folks each day in Florida alone, will encourage drivers to put down the phones and focus on the road.

Continue reading 'Death by Cell Phone' Ad Campaign Launches in Florida

Filed under:

'Death by Cell Phone' Ad Campaign Launches in Florida originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> cell phoneCellPhonedeathdrivingdriving while talkingdriving while textingDrivingWhileTalkingDrivingWhileTextingdwtnational safety councilNationalSafetyCounciltextingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Caleb Johnson) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:21:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Illustrated Ideas to Save the Automotive Industry]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/illustrated-ideas-to-save-the-automotive-industry/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/illustrated-ideas-to-save-the-automotive-industry/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/illustrated-ideas-to-save-the-automotive-industry/#comments While Washington scrambles and searches for answers, the automotive industry remains in shambles. So far, nothing has worked. And by 'nothing,' we mean 'throwing wads of cash at the problem.' So why not take a creative approach? That's exactly what one talented illustrator has done. While Core 77 user lunchbreath's suggestions to the Motor City might not be practical, they're loads of fun to consider.

Continue reading Illustrated Ideas to Save the Automotive Industry

Filed under:

Illustrated Ideas to Save the Automotive Industry originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> automobilecarconceptillustrationnascarsuvtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Caleb Johnson) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:28:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Japanese Dog Translator Turns Owners Into Dr. Dolittle]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/new-japanese-dog-translator-turns-owners-into-dr-dolittle/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/new-japanese-dog-translator-turns-owners-into-dr-dolittle/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/new-japanese-dog-translator-turns-owners-into-dr-dolittle/#comments
Japanese toy manufacturers are known for developing awesomely bizarre and outlandish creations. One such company, Takara Tomy, recently unveiled its updated BowLingual Voice gadget, which supposedly translates exactly what your barking pet pooch is trying to communicate.

According to Ubergizmo, Takara Tomy asserts that the device, which is worn like a collar, can accurately translate barks into 100 different Japanese words. Older versions of BowLingual (and Meowlingual) have been around for several years, but only acted as emotional analyzers, translating barks or meows into one of six different emotions that was then displayed on a hand-held wireless device.

Continue reading Japanese Dog Translator Turns Owners Into Dr. Dolittle

Filed under:

Japanese Dog Translator Turns Owners Into Dr. Dolittle originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bowlingualdogspetstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Warren Riddle) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Evildoing Spammers Discover TinyURL and Other URL-Shorteners]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/spammers-discover-url-shorteners/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/spammers-discover-url-shorteners/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/09/spammers-discover-url-shorteners/#comments Twitter is no stranger to spam, so it shouldn't be of any great surprise that spammers are hitting one of tweeters' favorite utilities. According to the New York Times' Bits blog, URL-shortening services like TinyURL and Bit.ly have unintentionally provided spammers with a veil to cover the ugly face of their shady activities.

By copy-and-pasting a Web address (a.k.a. URL) into one of these services, a user is presented with another, much shorter alias URL. These content-rich, character-light URLs have gained in popularity as more and more people join Twitter, which only allows 140 characters per tweet.

Continue reading Evildoing Spammers Discover TinyURL and Other URL-Shorteners

Filed under: ,

Evildoing Spammers Discover TinyURL and Other URL-Shorteners originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bitlye-mailemailsecurityspamtinyurltoptwitterurl shorteningUrlShortening switchedtips@gmail.com (Lee Bains) Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:24:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best of the Rest: $144K for all iPhone Apps, Wiimote Construction]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/best-of-the-rest-144k-for-all-iphone-apps-wiimote-constructio/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/best-of-the-rest-144k-for-all-iphone-apps-wiimote-constructio/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/best-of-the-rest-144k-for-all-iphone-apps-wiimote-constructio/#comments
There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw today on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.
  • We've seen Wiimotes used to control everything from chairs to lawnmowers, but this is the first time we've seen construction equipment controlled by Wiimotes. [DVICE]
  • Forget those new-fangled Michael Bay 'Transformers' -- get your nostalgia kicks(s) with Nikes new Transformers line of shoes. [StreetLevel]
  • Thinking about buying every iPhone app in the App Store? You may have to take out a loan or two: Forbes writes that it would cost $144,326.06 to get 'em all. [Forbes Clips]
  • Think you really know your home theater? engadgetHD lists how to know if know you're a videophile... [engadgetHD]
  • App developers are taking to the new iPhone's compass, video camera, and GPS features. TwittARound, the latest must-see app, lets you visualize tweets in the world: Hold the iPhone up and you'll be able to see nearby tweets overlayed on your surroundings. [PSFK]
Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our new Tumblr blog.

Filed under:

Best of the Rest: $144K for all iPhone Apps, Wiimote Construction originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> bestoftheresttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Thomas Houston) Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:41:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Palin Sees Facebook Friend Surge Following Resignation]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/palin-sees-surge-in-facebook-friends-following-resignation/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/palin-sees-surge-in-facebook-friends-following-resignation/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/palin-sees-surge-in-facebook-friends-following-resignation/#comments Palin Sees Surge In Facebook Friends Following Resignation
Whether you love her or wish she would find herself partially devoured by a Kodiak bear in the Alaskan wilderness, there is no denying that Sarah Palin is a popular, if polarizing, figure. One way to measure popularity in the Web-era is by counting friends on sites like Facebook, and by that metric Sarah Palin has managed to make herself more popular by stepping down as Governor of Alaska.

Tech and politics blog techPresident tracks the numbers of several major political figures' Facebook friends. The site found that in the days following Palin's resignation, her number of Facebook friends spiked -- and at a rather surprising rate. On July 3rd, when she announced that she would not seek reelection and would be vacating the Governor's office by the end of the month, she had roughly 560,000 friends. As of today, however, Palin is closing in on 625,000; that's a jump of almost 12-percent in five days.

Continue reading Palin Sees Facebook Friend Surge Following Resignation

Filed under: , ,

Palin Sees Facebook Friend Surge Following Resignation originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> facebookpalinpoliticssarah palinSarahPalinsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Terrence O'Brien) Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[HDTV Listings for July 8, 2009]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/hdtv-listings-for-july-8-2009/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/hdtv-listings-for-july-8-2009/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/hdtv-listings-for-july-8-2009/#comments What we're watching tonight:
  • ABC (720p) has 'Wipeout' at 8 p.m., 'I Survived a Japanese Game Show' at 9 p.m. and 'Primetime' at 10 p.m.
  • NBC (1080i) has 'America's Got Talent' at 9 p.m. and 'The Philanthropist' at 10 p.m.
  • Syfy (1080i) airs the season premiere of 'Ghost Hunters International' at 9 p.m.
  • Discovery (1080i) presents 'One Way Out' at 9, 9:30, 10 & 10:30 p.m.
  • History (720p) airs 'MonsterQuest' at 9 p.m.
  • TBS (1080i) has 'Meet the Browns' at 9 & 9:30 p.m.
  • MTV (1080i) has 'The Real World' at 10 p.m.
  • A&E (720p) has 'Tattoo Highway' at 10 p.m.
  • Comedy Central (1080i) has the season finale of 'Reno 911' at 10:30 p.m.
  • ESPN (720p) has Dodgers/Mets baseball at 7 p.m.

Filed under: ,

HDTV Listings for July 8, 2009 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> hdtvlistingstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Switched Staff) Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:28:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google Announces Chrome OS: Is It Worth the Buzz?]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/google-announces-chrome-os-but-is-it-worth-the-buzz/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/google-announces-chrome-os-but-is-it-worth-the-buzz/ http://www.switched.com/2009/07/08/google-announces-chrome-os-but-is-it-worth-the-buzz/#comments
It finally happened. Late Tuesday, Google announced it will launch the Chrome operating system (an open source, Web-based, and lightweight OS initially targeted at netbooks) in the second half of 2010. As expected, the Web went wild with hyperbole. Some called the announcement 'the mother of all bombs on its chief rival' and others said it is 'as much a threat to Microsoft as a mosquito is to a bear.' While it's probably too early to say how Chrome will pan out, plenty of pundits are giving it their best shot. Here are some of the more thought-provoking takes:

Continue reading Google Announces Chrome OS: Is It Worth the Buzz?

Filed under: ,

Google Announces Chrome OS: Is It Worth the Buzz? originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> cloudgooglemicrosoftnetbooknewproductsoperating systemOperatingSystemOStopweb switchedtips@gmail.com (Caleb Johnson) Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:57:00 EST Switched