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| # Logfile created on Tue Mar 31 15:54:58 -0700 2009 by / | |
| ========================= | |
| RSS import started at Tue Mar 31 15:54:58 -0700 2009 376 | |
| >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> | |
| An exception has occurred for 2:http://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xml: unknown attribute: body_excerpt | |
| Exception stack trace as follows: ["/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2587:in `attributes='", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2583:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2583:in `attributes='", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2283:in `initialize'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:123:in `new'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:123:in `import_rss_source'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:110:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:110:in `import_rss_source'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `import_rss_sources_in_batch'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `import_rss_sources_in_batch'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:50:in `import_rss'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `initialize'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `new'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `import_rss'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:47:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:47:in `import_rss'", "(irb):1:in `irb_binding'", "/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52:in `irb_binding'", "/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52"] | |
| Data: status200hrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlencodingutf-8feedtitlewhy bother?subtitle_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueenhancing your experience since 2003basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlsubtitleenhancing your experience since 2003title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvaluewhy bother?basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlgenerator_detailnameposterous.comlinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.comrelalternatetypetext/htmlgeneratorposterous.comlinkhttp://whybother.posterous.combozofalsemodified_timeetag"801d2a2aa86d10230b18d69e1657fad8"namespacesversionrss20updatedentriesposterous_nicknamemanalangtitleIf bit.ly Is Worth $8 Million, TinyURL Is Worth At Least $46 Millionposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <img src="http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/shorturl-market-share.png" height="" width="500" /><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/30/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worth-at-least-46-million/">techcrunch.com</a></div> | |
| <p>Unbelievable that bit.ly can raise $2m (and valued at $8m) -- ridiculous! It's a freakin URL shortner for gawd sakes!</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worth">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worth#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worthposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <img src="http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/shorturl-market-share.png" height="" width="500" /><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/30/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worth-at-least-46-million/">techcrunch.com</a></div> | |
| <p>Unbelievable that bit.ly can raise $2m (and valued at $8m) -- ridiculous! It's a freakin URL shortner for gawd sakes!</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worth">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worth#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueIf bit.ly Is Worth $8 Million, TinyURL Is Worth At Least $46 Millionbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worthrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/if-bitly-is-worth-8-million-tinyurl-is-worthupdatedTue, 31 Mar 2009 10:11:13 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeTue Mar 31 17:11:13 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093311711131900posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleIntroducing Bdoc: A Better Gem Doc Browserposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <p><strong>Install:</strong> [sudo] gem install manalang-bdoc<strong><br /> Usage: </strong>shell> bdoc<strong><br /> GitHub:</strong> <a href="http://github.com/manalang/bdoc/tree/master">http://github.com/manalang/bdoc/tree/master</a><strong><br />Demo:</strong> <a href="http://manalang.com/bdoc">http://manalang.com/bdoc</a></p> | |
| <p><strong></strong>I love <a href="http://apidock.com/">APIdock</a>. I also love <a href="http://www.gotapi.com/html">gotAPI</a>. And I think that <a href="http://api.jquery.com">api.jquery.com</a> is pretty nice. However, they all require an internet connection.</p> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>Over the last few weeks, there have been some progress in making Ruby/Rails documentation better specifically for those times when you're disconnected. The first noteworthy ones are the <a href="http://priithaamer.com/blog/ruby-dictionary-for-mac-os-x">Ruby</a> and <a href="http://priithaamer.com/blog/rails-23-dictionary">Rails</a> dictionaries for OS X. This makes it possible to access Ruby/Rails doc through OS X' spotlight. This is a pretty cool solution that I use quite a bit. The next improvement is called <a href="http://github.com/mislav/hanna/tree/master">Hanna</a> and is a major improvement to the basic Rdoc template -- it also sports a nice method filter that makes it easy to look up class methods. Last week, I heard about the <a href="http://railsapi.com/">Rails Searchable API Doc</a> (aka, <a href="http://github.com/voloko/sdoc/tree/master">sdoc</a>) which makes it possible to do super-fast searches much like APIdock. The only problem with the OS X dictionaries and sdoc is that they only include Ruby/Rails (Rails only for sdoc).</div> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>What I wanted was something that ties together all of the existing Rdocs I already have on my computer. <a href="http://rubygems.org/read/chapter/18">Gem Server</a> allows you to view all of your locally installed gems, but:</div> | |
| <div><ol> | |
| <li>The UI sucks.</li> | |
| <li>Once you pick a doc to view, there's no way to go back to the main index without hitting the back button.</li> | |
| <li>You have to run a server to view local static files.</li> | |
| </ol> | |
| <div>I wanted something better -- something that makes it easy to browse my entire collection and easily navigate from one Rdoc to another and not force me to run a server. So, I decided to scratch my own itch... the result is <a href="http://github.com/manalang/bdoc/tree/master">Bdoc</a>. Before Bdoc, I used the <a href="http://gist.github.com/87618">gemdoc bash alias</a> that makes it easy to access my gem Rdocs from the command line. I wanted something similar to gemdoc since most of the time is spent in the command line.</div> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>All Bdoc does is create an index of all the gems you have installed that have Rdocs and creates a nice one page file that allows you to browse all of these Rdocs. Here's an example: <a href="http://manalang.com/bdocs">http://manalang.com/bdocs</a>. All you have to do is type in "bdocs" in your command line and voila, you've got all your gem docs in your favorite browser. Bdocs doesn't require a server because it just opens the generated index.html in your browser using the file:/// protocol.</div> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>Here are some improvements I'd love to add in someday (unless someone forks it and does it for me :-)):</div> | |
| <div> | |
| <ul> | |
| <li>Patch or fork <a href="http://github.com/mislav/hanna/tree/master">Hanna</a> to generate a json index of all the classes and methods for each gem. This will make it possible to generate a method/class search filter much like the one sdoc provides.</li> | |
| <li>Add in Ruby Rdocs. I haven't figured out how to generate the Ruby core and Ruby standard lib Rdocs (and to see if OS X comes with it already installed). If so, I'd love to add this to the Bdoc index.</li> | |
| <li> Possibly make the gem listing a bit easier on the eyes. If you have a huge list of installed gems, the gem listing can be a bit scary.</li> | |
| </ul> | |
| <div>Give it a try and let me know what you think.</div> | |
| </div> | |
| </div> | |
| <p><p><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/3TAQT8P3owUDFDLHgRoh9IqYNzvN3sWTsBzJjwz0uvvTJpJ8VxKbbGg8Ijq6/bdoc1.png"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/zobbbiZluB3KdlJLJ6zQoR5SA6aXkMN1zLgsxhRDH64SpF4ZZXR98rCKyORy/bdoc1.png.scaled.500.jpg" height="205" width="500" /></a></p> | |
| <p><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/PN1K7TqIXIM3423ujE4tmKvmB4FiwTrJkZ320kemrp821S4YNGIfKp4H7LUS/bdoc2.png"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/8jkae58kgJyWXx3UlzLSJu8PAp65wkCozrsjIzPd6LdaM6LHUq6eZuvAfp1a/bdoc2.png.scaled.500.jpg" height="257" width="500" /></a></p> | |
| <p><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/M9UW8Qo7yMupPjHJ9K5TN8kzCQGb2vpOvWIXXFJFaA4Jr51kq4zPiELxwfn0/bdoc3.png"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/BG1ahnQXAVSg5cgs1mQPHA8gCzJApC0adr7ph9s2nx8X3TOQoDdlnxQuFA4g/bdoc3.png.scaled.500.jpg" height="257" width="500" /></a></p> | |
| <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gem">See the full gallery on posterous</a></p> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gem">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gem#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlenclosureshrefhttp://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/3TAQT8P3owUDFDLHgRoh9IqYNzvN3sWTsBzJjwz0uvvTJpJ8VxKbbGg8Ijq6/bdoc1.pngtypeimage/pngheight410width1000hrefhttp://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/zobbbiZluB3KdlJLJ6zQoR5SA6aXkMN1zLgsxhRDH64SpF4ZZXR98rCKyORy/bdoc1.png.scaled.500.jpgheight205width500hrefhttp://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/PN1K7TqIXIM3423ujE4tmKvmB4FiwTrJkZ320kemrp821S4YNGIfKp4H7LUS/bdoc2.pngtypeimage/pngheight491width957hrefhttp://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/8jkae58kgJyWXx3UlzLSJu8PAp65wkCozrsjIzPd6LdaM6LHUq6eZuvAfp1a/bdoc2.png.scaled.500.jpgheight257width500hrefhttp://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/M9UW8Qo7yMupPjHJ9K5TN8kzCQGb2vpOvWIXXFJFaA4Jr51kq4zPiELxwfn0/bdoc3.pngtypeimage/pngheight491width957hrefhttp://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/BG1ahnQXAVSg5cgs1mQPHA8gCzJApC0adr7ph9s2nx8X3TOQoDdlnxQuFA4g/bdoc3.png.scaled.500.jpgheight257width500posterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gemposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <p><strong>Install:</strong> [sudo] gem install manalang-bdoc<strong><br /> Usage: </strong>shell> bdoc<strong><br /> GitHub:</strong> <a href="http://github.com/manalang/bdoc/tree/master">http://github.com/manalang/bdoc/tree/master</a><strong><br />Demo:</strong> <a href="http://manalang.com/bdoc">http://manalang.com/bdoc</a></p> | |
| <p><strong></strong>I love <a href="http://apidock.com/">APIdock</a>. I also love <a href="http://www.gotapi.com/html">gotAPI</a>. And I think that <a href="http://api.jquery.com">api.jquery.com</a> is pretty nice. However, they all require an internet connection.</p> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>Over the last few weeks, there have been some progress in making Ruby/Rails documentation better specifically for those times when you're disconnected. The first noteworthy ones are the <a href="http://priithaamer.com/blog/ruby-dictionary-for-mac-os-x">Ruby</a> and <a href="http://priithaamer.com/blog/rails-23-dictionary">Rails</a> dictionaries for OS X. This makes it possible to access Ruby/Rails doc through OS X' spotlight. This is a pretty cool solution that I use quite a bit. The next improvement is called <a href="http://github.com/mislav/hanna/tree/master">Hanna</a> and is a major improvement to the basic Rdoc template -- it also sports a nice method filter that makes it easy to look up class methods. Last week, I heard about the <a href="http://railsapi.com/">Rails Searchable API Doc</a> (aka, <a href="http://github.com/voloko/sdoc/tree/master">sdoc</a>) which makes it possible to do super-fast searches much like APIdock. The only problem with the OS X dictionaries and sdoc is that they only include Ruby/Rails (Rails only for sdoc).</div> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>What I wanted was something that ties together all of the existing Rdocs I already have on my computer. <a href="http://rubygems.org/read/chapter/18">Gem Server</a> allows you to view all of your locally installed gems, but:</div> | |
| <div><ol> | |
| <li>The UI sucks.</li> | |
| <li>Once you pick a doc to view, there's no way to go back to the main index without hitting the back button.</li> | |
| <li>You have to run a server to view local static files.</li> | |
| </ol> | |
| <div>I wanted something better -- something that makes it easy to browse my entire collection and easily navigate from one Rdoc to another and not force me to run a server. So, I decided to scratch my own itch... the result is <a href="http://github.com/manalang/bdoc/tree/master">Bdoc</a>. Before Bdoc, I used the <a href="http://gist.github.com/87618">gemdoc bash alias</a> that makes it easy to access my gem Rdocs from the command line. I wanted something similar to gemdoc since most of the time is spent in the command line.</div> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>All Bdoc does is create an index of all the gems you have installed that have Rdocs and creates a nice one page file that allows you to browse all of these Rdocs. Here's an example: <a href="http://manalang.com/bdocs">http://manalang.com/bdocs</a>. All you have to do is type in "bdocs" in your command line and voila, you've got all your gem docs in your favorite browser. Bdocs doesn't require a server because it just opens the generated index.html in your browser using the file:/// protocol.</div> | |
| <div><br /></div> | |
| <div>Here are some improvements I'd love to add in someday (unless someone forks it and does it for me :-)):</div> | |
| <div> | |
| <ul> | |
| <li>Patch or fork <a href="http://github.com/mislav/hanna/tree/master">Hanna</a> to generate a json index of all the classes and methods for each gem. This will make it possible to generate a method/class search filter much like the one sdoc provides.</li> | |
| <li>Add in Ruby Rdocs. I haven't figured out how to generate the Ruby core and Ruby standard lib Rdocs (and to see if OS X comes with it already installed). If so, I'd love to add this to the Bdoc index.</li> | |
| <li> Possibly make the gem listing a bit easier on the eyes. If you have a huge list of installed gems, the gem listing can be a bit scary.</li> | |
| </ul> | |
| <div>Give it a try and let me know what you think.</div> | |
| </div> | |
| </div> | |
| <p><p><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/3TAQT8P3owUDFDLHgRoh9IqYNzvN3sWTsBzJjwz0uvvTJpJ8VxKbbGg8Ijq6/bdoc1.png"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/zobbbiZluB3KdlJLJ6zQoR5SA6aXkMN1zLgsxhRDH64SpF4ZZXR98rCKyORy/bdoc1.png.scaled.500.jpg" height="205" width="500" /></a></p> | |
| <p><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/PN1K7TqIXIM3423ujE4tmKvmB4FiwTrJkZ320kemrp821S4YNGIfKp4H7LUS/bdoc2.png"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/8jkae58kgJyWXx3UlzLSJu8PAp65wkCozrsjIzPd6LdaM6LHUq6eZuvAfp1a/bdoc2.png.scaled.500.jpg" height="257" width="500" /></a></p> | |
| <p><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/M9UW8Qo7yMupPjHJ9K5TN8kzCQGb2vpOvWIXXFJFaA4Jr51kq4zPiELxwfn0/bdoc3.png"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/whybother/BG1ahnQXAVSg5cgs1mQPHA8gCzJApC0adr7ph9s2nx8X3TOQoDdlnxQuFA4g/bdoc3.png.scaled.500.jpg" height="257" width="500" /></a></p> | |
| <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gem">See the full gallery on posterous</a></p> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gem">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gem#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueIntroducing Bdoc: A Better Gem Doc Browserbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gemrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/introducing-bdoc-a-better-gemupdatedSun, 29 Mar 2009 21:31:00 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeMon Mar 30 04:31:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200933043100890posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleAnalog Sundayposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <img src="http://analogsunday.com/analog-sunday.jpg" height="" width="500" /> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://analogsunday.com/">analogsunday.com</a></div> | |
| <p>I totally violated this today. Oh well... next Sunday.</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1posterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <img src="http://analogsunday.com/analog-sunday.jpg" height="" width="500" /> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://analogsunday.com/">analogsunday.com</a></div> | |
| <p>I totally violated this today. Oh well... next Sunday.</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueAnalog Sundaybasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/analog-sunday-1updatedSun, 29 Mar 2009 20:04:01 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeMon Mar 30 03:04:01 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093303410890posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleDon't Like It? Code it Yourself!posterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><p>Sometimes, when people say this: | |
| </p><p> | |
| </p><blockquote> | |
| The source code is freely available. If you feel so strongly about this bugfix/tweak/feature/plugin, <b>why don't you code it yourself?</b> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <p> | |
| They're really saying this: | |
| </p><p> | |
| </p><blockquote> | |
| F**k you. | |
| </blockquote></blockquote> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001247.html">codinghorror.com</a></div> | |
| <p>It's funny how much I've heard this (and have said this) over the years. The lesson... don't ask for something without giving something.</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourself">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourself#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourselfposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><p>Sometimes, when people say this: | |
| </p><p> | |
| </p><blockquote> | |
| The source code is freely available. If you feel so strongly about this bugfix/tweak/feature/plugin, <b>why don't you code it yourself?</b> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <p> | |
| They're really saying this: | |
| </p><p> | |
| </p><blockquote> | |
| F**k you. | |
| </blockquote></blockquote> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001247.html">codinghorror.com</a></div> | |
| <p>It's funny how much I've heard this (and have said this) over the years. The lesson... don't ask for something without giving something.</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourself">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourself#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueDon't Like It? Code it Yourself!basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourselfrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/dont-like-it-code-it-yourselfupdatedSat, 28 Mar 2009 20:24:21 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeSun Mar 29 03:24:21 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009329324216880posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleFacebook Poll: 94% Of Users Don’t Like Redesignposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <img src="http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/fbpoll.jpg" height="" width="500" /><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/19/facebook-polls-users-on-redesign-94-hate-it/">techcrunch.com</a></div> | |
| <p>Wow! I can't believe Facebook missed the mark by this much. Personally, I like the changes.</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesign">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesign#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesignposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <img src="http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/fbpoll.jpg" height="" width="500" /><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/19/facebook-polls-users-on-redesign-94-hate-it/">techcrunch.com</a></div> | |
| <p>Wow! I can't believe Facebook missed the mark by this much. Personally, I like the changes.</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesign">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesign#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueFacebook Poll: 94% Of Users Don’t Like Redesignbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesignrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/facebook-poll-94-of-users-dont-like-redesignupdatedThu, 19 Mar 2009 20:01:04 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeFri Mar 20 03:01:04 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093203144790posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleThe Five-Minute Prison Workoutposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5171115/the-five+minute-prison-workout-keeps-you-fit-in-any-space">lifehacker.com</a></div> | |
| <p>I've gotta start doing this. Who needs a gym?</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workout">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workout#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workoutposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5171115/the-five+minute-prison-workout-keeps-you-fit-in-any-space">lifehacker.com</a></div> | |
| <p>I've gotta start doing this. Who needs a gym?</p></div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workout">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workout#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe Five-Minute Prison Workoutbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workoutrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/the-five-minute-prison-workoutupdatedWed, 18 Mar 2009 19:47:47 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeThu Mar 19 02:47:47 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009319247473780posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleBase 36 for shortening URLsposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><span>1234567890</span>.<span>to_s</span><span>(</span><span>36</span><span>)</span> <span>#kf12oi</span><br /> <span>"kf12oi"</span>.<span>to_i</span><span>(</span><span>36</span><span>)</span> <span>#1234567890</span></blockquote> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_36">en.wikipedia.org</a></div> | |
| <p>My first ever WikiPedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_36#Ruby_Code">contribution</a>! I love the terseness of Ruby. Compare that to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_36#C.23_Conversion_Class">C# example</a> on the same page.</p> | |
| </div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urls">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urls#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urlsposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <div> | |
| <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><span>1234567890</span>.<span>to_s</span><span>(</span><span>36</span><span>)</span> <span>#kf12oi</span><br /> <span>"kf12oi"</span>.<span>to_i</span><span>(</span><span>36</span><span>)</span> <span>#1234567890</span></blockquote> | |
| <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_36">en.wikipedia.org</a></div> | |
| <p>My first ever WikiPedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_36#Ruby_Code">contribution</a>! I love the terseness of Ruby. Compare that to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_36#C.23_Conversion_Class">C# example</a> on the same page.</p> | |
| </div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urls">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urls#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueBase 36 for shortening URLsbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urlsrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/base-36-for-shortening-urlsupdatedTue, 17 Mar 2009 16:17:00 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeTue Mar 17 23:17:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009317231701760posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleJRuby on ABAPposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <p>What's next JRuby and COBOL?</p> | |
| <div> | |
| <div>via <a href="http://blog.labnotes.org/">Labnotes</a> by Assaf on 3/17/09</div> | |
| <br /> <strong>Ruby goes ABAP</strong> With the magic of JRuby you should be able to run Ruby on NetWeaver, but SAP is taking Ruby one step further and <a href="https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/wiki?path=/display/Research/BlueRuby">putting Ruby on the ABAP VM</a>. For those who don’t know, the core of the monster is written in ABAP, SAP’s proprietary language. It’s ancient and moldy but if you can get past the smell, very productive. While this won’t make R/3 the next cool platform, it might give a kick for R/3 developers: | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <p>Rather than just running Ruby programs isolated on the ABAP server, Blue Ruby also provides two-way integration with the surrounding ABAP environment - ABAP programs can invoke Ruby code easily and Ruby programs are able to access existing ABAP functionality. However, this integration is strictly controlled by the Blue Ruby VM, turning Blue Ruby into a sandbox inside the ABAP server.</p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| </div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abap">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abap#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abapposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <p>What's next JRuby and COBOL?</p> | |
| <div> | |
| <div>via <a href="http://blog.labnotes.org/">Labnotes</a> by Assaf on 3/17/09</div> | |
| <br /> <strong>Ruby goes ABAP</strong> With the magic of JRuby you should be able to run Ruby on NetWeaver, but SAP is taking Ruby one step further and <a href="https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/wiki?path=/display/Research/BlueRuby">putting Ruby on the ABAP VM</a>. For those who don’t know, the core of the monster is written in ABAP, SAP’s proprietary language. It’s ancient and moldy but if you can get past the smell, very productive. While this won’t make R/3 the next cool platform, it might give a kick for R/3 developers: | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <p>Rather than just running Ruby programs isolated on the ABAP server, Blue Ruby also provides two-way integration with the surrounding ABAP environment - ABAP programs can invoke Ruby code easily and Ruby programs are able to access existing ABAP functionality. However, this integration is strictly controlled by the Blue Ruby VM, turning Blue Ruby into a sandbox inside the ABAP server.</p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| </div> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abap">Permalink</a> | |
| | <a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abap#comment">Leave a comment »</a> | |
| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueJRuby on ABAPbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abaprelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/jruby-on-abapupdatedTue, 17 Mar 2009 12:33:00 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeTue Mar 17 19:33:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009317193301760posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleOracle is at the iPhone 3.0 briefingposterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/03/apple-2009-iphone-3-1263-rm.jpg"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/03/apple-2009-iphone-3-1263-rm.jpg" height="331" width="500" /></a> | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/oracle-is-at-the-iphone-30-bri">Permalink</a> | |
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| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/oracle-is-at-the-iphone-30-briposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| <a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/03/apple-2009-iphone-3-1263-rm.jpg"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/03/apple-2009-iphone-3-1263-rm.jpg" height="331" width="500" /></a> | |
| </p> | |
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| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueOracle is at the iPhone 3.0 briefingbasehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/oracle-is-at-the-iphone-30-brirelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/oracle-is-at-the-iphone-30-briupdatedTue, 17 Mar 2009 10:51:10 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeTue Mar 17 17:51:10 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093171751101760posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleWelcome manalang.com readers!posterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| You found it. Good. Now bookmark it or <a href="http://www.google.com/ig/add?feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwhybother.posterous.com%2Frss.xml">add it to your Google Reader</a>. Great. | |
| </p> | |
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| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/welcome-manalangcom-readersposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| You found it. Good. Now bookmark it or <a href="http://www.google.com/ig/add?feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwhybother.posterous.com%2Frss.xml">add it to your Google Reader</a>. Great. | |
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| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWelcome manalang.com readers!basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/welcome-manalangcom-readersrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/welcome-manalangcom-readersupdatedTue, 17 Mar 2009 09:47:58 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeTue Mar 17 16:47:58 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093171647581760posterous_nicknamemanalangtitleShould I stay or should I go now?posterous_authorsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| I've been contemplating the move to Posterous from my crappy Dreamhost hosted Wordpress <a href="http://manalang.com">blog</a>. I really like the idea of posting by email. I can't believe no one else has made email the center-point for blogging. Anyway, I think I'm going to experiment with Posterous for the next few days to see if it sticks. | |
| </p> | |
| <p><a href="http://whybother.posterous.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-n">Permalink</a> | |
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| </p>basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_profileurlhttp://posterous.com/people/Qav9nqMJABidhttp://whybother.posterous.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-nposterous_lastnnmeManalangposterous_userimagehttp://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/44395/Photo_57.jpgsummary<p> | |
| I've been contemplating the move to Posterous from my crappy Dreamhost hosted Wordpress <a href="http://manalang.com">blog</a>. I really like the idea of posting by email. I can't believe no one else has made email the center-point for blogging. Anyway, I think I'm going to experiment with Posterous for the next few days to see if it sticks. | |
| </p> | |
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| </p>guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueShould I stay or should I go now?basehttp://whybother.posterous.com/rss.xmlposterous_displaynameRich Manalanglinkshrefhttp://whybother.posterous.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-nrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://whybother.posterous.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-nupdatedMon, 16 Mar 2009 23:51:04 -0700posterous_firstnameRichupdated_timeTue Mar 17 06:51:04 UTC 2009updated_parsed200931765141760headersstatus200 OKcache-controlprivate, max-age=0, must-revalidateconnectionkeep-alivedateTue, 31 Mar 2009 22:54:58 GMTcontent-typeapplication/rss+xml; charset=utf-8etag"801d2a2aa86d10230b18d69e1657fad8"servernginx/0.6.35x-runtime6mscontent-length24131 | |
| <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< | |
| >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> | |
| An exception has occurred for 1:http://theappslab.com/feed: unknown attribute: body_excerpt | |
| Exception stack trace as follows: ["/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2587:in `attributes='", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2583:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2583:in `attributes='", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2283:in `initialize'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:123:in `new'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:123:in `import_rss_source'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:110:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:110:in `import_rss_source'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `import_rss_sources_in_batch'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `import_rss_sources_in_batch'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:50:in `import_rss'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `initialize'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `new'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `import_rss'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:47:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:47:in `import_rss'", "(irb):1:in `irb_binding'", "/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52:in `irb_binding'", "/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52"] | |
| Data: status200hrefhttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabencodingUTF-8feedlanguageentitleThe AppsLabfeedburner_emailserviceidOracleAppslabsy_updateperiodhourlysubtitle_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueDriving Innovationbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabsubtitleDriving Innovationtitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe AppsLabbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabfeedburner_feedburnerhostnamehttp://feedburner.google.comgenerator_detailnamehttp://wordpress.org/?v=2.7linkshrefhttp://theappslab.comrelalternatetypetext/htmlsy_updatefrequency1generatorhttp://wordpress.org/?v=2.7linkhttp://theappslab.comatom10_linkupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 18:19:53 +0000updated_timeMon Mar 30 18:19:53 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093301819530890bozofalsemodified_timeMon Mar 30 18:19:58 UTC 2009etagwRizJ9x2Lwl9MlFqg7y3NcKQwjwnamespacesversionrss20updated20093301819580890entriesfeedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/30/requiem-for-the-computer-lab/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/30/requiem-for-the-computer-lab/#commentstitleRequiem for the Computer Labwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/30/requiem-for-the-computer-lab/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueEver seen PCU? | |
| It came out while I was still in college, and being of that vintage, I relate to it. Remember the scene where Tom runs through the computer lab, where scads of students are cranking away on year-end thesis papers and trips over the main plug that supplies power to all the computers? | |
| Hilarity ensues. | |
| Maybe [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermcollegeschemelabeltermcomputer labsschemelabeltermnostalgiaschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2661summaryEver seen PCU? | |
| It came out while I was still in college, and being of that vintage, I relate to it. Remember the scene where Tom runs through the computer lab, where scads of students are cranking away on year-end thesis papers and trips over the main plug that supplies power to all the computers? | |
| Hilarity ensues. | |
| Maybe [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueRequiem for the Computer Labbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img title="Good old computer labs, sigh." class="size-full wp-image-2662 alignright" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/stanfo4.gif" height="240" alt="Good old computer labs, sigh." width="320" />Ever seen <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110759/" target="_self">PCU</a>?</p> | |
| <p>It came out while I was still in college, and being of that vintage, I relate to it. Remember the scene where Tom runs through the computer lab, where scads of students are cranking away on year-end thesis papers and trips over the main plug that supplies power to all the computers?</p> | |
| <p>Hilarity ensues.</p> | |
| <p>Maybe not so much, but that scene was very common when I went to college. I’m willing to bet it was pretty common for most of you too. Several people I knew had computers, but not very many had laptops. Kids still wrote longhand in notebooks, and we all had lots of floppies, the 3.5 inch ones.</p> | |
| <p>And even if you had your own computer, you more than likely still had to spend time in a computer lab, whether to print or complete an assignment that required a specific piece of software you couldn’t install on your computer.</p> | |
| <p>Not surprisingly, today’s colleges are very different. Laptops prevail, due to their cheapness and obvious portability benefit. Some schools have taken note, and I <a href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/03/whats-the-point-of-running.ars" target="_self">read</a> today that at least one school, UVA, is effectively <a href="http://itc.virginia.edu/org/reports/labstransition.html" target="_self">shuttering</a> its computer labs to save costs. This makes good sense, especially when 99% of incoming freshman own computers; only four in a class of 3,117 did not own a computer. I wonder what it would be like to be one of those four.</p> | |
| <p>The same UVA study in 1997 showed that only 74% of incoming freshman had computers, which initially felt high to me, but then again, in the twilight of my college years, students with computers were becoming a lot more common, allowing me to spread my mooching across more victims.</p> | |
| <p>Even so, I did spend a lot of time in one one of the half a dozen or so computer “clusters”, most frequently for computer science classes, but also for other classes too. Looking back, it feels like each year there were more computer-based assignments, which contributed to higher demand for the clusters and to more computers in each of them.</p> | |
| <p>So, I have nostalgic memories of Mountain Dew and Jack in the Box consumed in the wee hours of the morning, debugging some game I’d written in Pascal, and it makes me a little sad that the labs will be transforming into co-working spaces.</p> | |
| <p>But what choice do universities have? Ars quotes UVA vice president James Hilton from <a href="http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3676/u-virginia-plans-to-phase-out-public-computer-labs" target="_self">The Chronicle of Higher Education</a> as saying that the labs cost the university $300,000 to run each year. Even though transforming the labs into other spaces won’t yield a $300,000 annual savings, it will help. At the very least, the university would save on bandwidth and support costs.</p> | |
| <p>And now seems like a good time to find ways to save money.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, reading this made me sad for the old days. I’m sure many of you have fond memories of nights spent in computer labs.</p> | |
| <p>Share them in comments. Oh, and if you have other thoughts, share those too.</p> | |
| <p>And re/watch PCU. Jeremy Piven, David Spade, Jon Favreau, and P-Funk. Good times.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=MYxTs-3qUOI:YlmlPjsxjoc:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/MYxTs-3qUOI" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/MYxTs-3qUOI/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/MYxTs-3qUOI/updatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 18:19:53 +0000updated_timeMon Mar 30 18:19:53 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093301819530890feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/26/what-is-it-about-kudos/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/26/what-is-it-about-kudos/#commentstitleWhat is it about Kudos?wfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/26/what-is-it-about-kudos/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvaluePhoto by takingthemoney on Flicks used under Creative Commons | |
| Last week, Paul spoke on a webinar panel hosted by Communitelligence about social networking inside the firewall. Also on the panel were Lee Aase of the Mayo Clinic and Polly Pearson from EMC. | |
| I didn’t attend the webinar, but Paul mentioned that Kudos was well-received. We did a [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermconnectschemelabeltermkudosschemelabeltermmixschemelabeltermuse casesschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2646summaryPhoto by takingthemoney on Flicks used under Creative Commons | |
| Last week, Paul spoke on a webinar panel hosted by Communitelligence about social networking inside the firewall. Also on the panel were Lee Aase of the Mayo Clinic and Polly Pearson from EMC. | |
| I didn’t attend the webinar, but Paul mentioned that Kudos was well-received. We did a [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWhat is it about Kudos?basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2657"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/takethemoneyandrun/97897802/"><img title="Stars" class="size-full wp-image-2657" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/97897802_5f0ebfbd3c_m.jpg" height="180" alt="Photo by takingthemoney on Flicks used under Creative Commons" width="240" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo by takingthemoney on Flicks used under Creative Commons</p></div> | |
| <p>Last week, Paul spoke on a webinar panel hosted by <a href="http://www.communitelligence.com/" target="_self">Communitelligence</a> about social networking inside the firewall. Also on the panel were <a href="http://social-media-university-global.org/" target="_self">Lee Aase</a> of the Mayo Clinic and <a href="http://www.pollypearson.com/" target="_self">Polly Pearson</a> from EMC.</p> | |
| <p>I didn’t attend the webinar, but Paul mentioned that Kudos was well-received. We did a follow-up meeting with some folks from EMC, <a href="http://twitter.com/jamiepappas" target="_self">Jamie Pappas</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/LenDevanna" target="_self">Len Devanna</a>, and they were also interested to hear about Kudos.</p> | |
| <p>By Kudos, I mean the drive-by thanks/you’re awesome/great job <a href="http://theappslab.com/2007/08/27/new-features-for-connect-beta/" target="_self">feature</a> we have in Connect, not the <a href="http://www.kudosbar.com/" target="_self">granola bar covered in chocolate</a>.</p> | |
| <p>We added Kudos to Connect very early, so long ago, that I can’t really remember all the specifics. Basically, it’s profile comments, very much like Facebook’s Wall, but we used Kudos to guide people to saying nice things. The original boilerplate said “We don’t praise each other enough for the good work we do. Here’s your chance…”, and the goal of Kudos is to give people a really fast way (ahem, drive-by) to pat someone on the back for a job well-done.</p> | |
| <p>The distributed and virtual nature of product teams makes it very easy to forget what you did and with whom you worked when appraisal time arrives. With Kudos, we wanted to make compliments: a) fast, b) easy, c) public.</p> | |
| <p>The implementation is specifically <em>not</em> like LinkedIn’s endorsements, which feel way too formal to me. We already have a formal appraisal process. The public piece was important too. Since we all get too much email, it’s tough to find those attaboys when review time arrives, even if your manager was copied. We list both kudos received and kudos given in an attempt to show that each person is a valued asset and a team player.</p> | |
| <p>Kudos always resonates with people we talk to about Connect. I’m not sure why, but I think the simplicity and public nature of the feature make it seem really smart.</p> | |
| <p>I say “seem” because in retrospect, we didn’t plan for it or design it very purposefully. It was a throw-in feature that turned out to be a lucky lottery ticket. Go figure.</p> | |
| <p>And people use it quite a bit. My, ahem, “reports” tell me that several hundred Kudos are sent each month, which is higher than I expected. Then again, as Chet pointed out, my SQL is pretty <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/02/12/who-benefits-from-blog-comment-spam/#comment-6225170" target="_self">rudimentary</a> these days, so it’s entirely possible that I’m having a query fail.</p> | |
| <p>Or maybe people are using Kudos for other things, driving up the numbers. Like <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/01/30/random-connect-observations/" target="_self">many</a> of Connect’s features, people have found new uses for Kudos.</p> | |
| <p>For example, two people have left Kudos on Larry Ellison’s profile.</p> | |
| <p>Slow down. He doesn’t use Connect. Everyone has a profile, by default, because Connect is as much an employee directory as it is a social network. I don’t think he’s ever logged in or even knows Connect exists. I do know several brave souls invited him to join their networks, but he did not accept.</p> | |
| <p>The people who left Kudos were expressing pride they feel working at Oracle in a very sincere way. This is not a use case I could ever have imagined, which incidentally is another reason to develop iteratively.</p> | |
| <p>Kudos has crept into the Connect dog and pony because people find it interesting and useful, and now, we have found uses cases for it. I love that stuff. Paul uses this example when he talks about Connect, and I like to mention it in community management discussions.</p> | |
| <p>Sometimes a feature just clicks.</p> | |
| <p>Kudos doesn’t apply to everyone universally; for instance, I’m told the word kudos doesn’t translate well into other languages, which definitely hurts it overall, since we have a lot of traffic from non English-speaking countries. Even so, if we could find equivalent translations, I’m pretty sure the feature would still be popular.</p> | |
| <p>Mix calls the same feature Comments, and I wonder how they’re being used there. I don’t recall any discussions about it when we built Mix, but Kudos doesn’t have the same easy application among a loosely affiliated community. So, Comments makes more sense.</p> | |
| <p>So, if you use Connect, what do you think of Kudos? If you don’t/can’t (because your not an Oracle employee), what do you think of the idea? Find the comments.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=UI4WLBz7GQQ:p2BfRjuouCI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/UI4WLBz7GQQ" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/UI4WLBz7GQQ/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/UI4WLBz7GQQ/updatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 20:56:59 +0000updated_timeThu Mar 26 20:56:59 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093262056593850feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/26/i-am-not-a-good-lead/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/26/i-am-not-a-good-lead/#commentstitleI Am Not a Good Leadwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/26/i-am-not-a-good-lead/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueAlec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross | |
| New this week, cold calls from innovation and strategy consultancies. | |
| Maybe it’s a function of a crappy economy, or maybe I happen to be an easy to find contact at Oracle. For whatever reason, I’m now fielding calls from consultancies who want to help Oracle with innovation or Web/Enterprise 2.0 adoption [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermabcschemelabeltermcold callingschemelabeltermleadsschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2643summaryAlec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross | |
| New this week, cold calls from innovation and strategy consultancies. | |
| Maybe it’s a function of a crappy economy, or maybe I happen to be an easy to find contact at Oracle. For whatever reason, I’m now fielding calls from consultancies who want to help Oracle with innovation or Web/Enterprise 2.0 adoption [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueI Am Not a Good Leadbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p> | |
| <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2650"><img title="A-B-C" class="size-full wp-image-2650" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/imagesglengarry-always-be-closing-small1.jpg" height="174" alt="Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross" width="260" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross</p></div> | |
| <p>New this week, cold calls from innovation and strategy consultancies.</p> | |
| <p>Maybe it’s a function of a crappy economy, or maybe I happen to be an easy to find contact at Oracle. For whatever reason, I’m now fielding calls from consultancies who want to help Oracle with innovation or Web/Enterprise 2.0 adoption or social media or brand management.</p> | |
| <p>Or all of the above.</p> | |
| <p>In the past, we’ve received lots of cold pings from companies via the contact form. If you left a note and waited for a response, I have an excuse. The form was broken for several months. That, and I don’t have budget or authority to engage any outside services. Sorry.</p> | |
| <p>I also get email from vendors pretty often, which I mostly ignore. Again, sorry.</p> | |
| <p>The recent twist is companies are calling me directly, on my work number and on my cell phone.</p> | |
| <p>I don’t mind that much. This isn’t a rant.</p> | |
| <p>I feel a little bad because I’m not lying when I say I really and truly have no power, no budget and no spending authority. I’m not kidding. Plus, Oracle is a huge company, and we have internal equivalents of most of the products and services pitched to me, which makes it a hard-sell to go outside the company, even if the said products and services are really great.</p> | |
| <p>Is this a harbinger of the horrible economy, or a sign of something else?</p> | |
| <p>Honestly, I feel bad for the people who call me. I try to be helpful because I understand. I briefly worked in business development at a startup during the waning days of the OB (original bubble), and I understand how hard it is to get your message heard by the right people.</p> | |
| <p>And so far, no one has been rude when I give the bad news.</p> | |
| <p>So, if you’re out on the ‘tubes with a company affiliation, do you get cold-pings like this a lot? Have you noticed an uptick lately? If so, why do you think?</p> | |
| <p>Find the comments.</p> | |
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| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/L6cIvFak8SI" height="1" width="1" /></p>basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/L6cIvFak8SI/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/L6cIvFak8SI/updatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 17:44:03 +0000updated_timeThu Mar 26 17:44:03 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009326174433850feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/25/shutter-featureful-screenshot-toolubuntu-geek/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/25/shutter-featureful-screenshot-toolubuntu-geek/#commentstitleShutter - Featureful Screenshot ToolUbuntu Geekwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/25/shutter-featureful-screenshot-toolubuntu-geek/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueaddthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftheappslab.com%2F2009%2F03%2F25%2Fshutter-featureful-screenshot-toolubuntu-geek%2F'; | |
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| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/9YZVnNhozaU" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/9YZVnNhozaU/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/9YZVnNhozaU/updatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 00:49:42 +0000updated_timeThu Mar 26 00:49:42 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009326049423850feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/24/how-to-repair-a-corrupted-filesystem-in-ubuntuonly-ubuntu-linux/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/24/how-to-repair-a-corrupted-filesystem-in-ubuntuonly-ubuntu-linux/#commentstitleHow to Repair a corrupted filesystem in UbuntuOnly Ubuntu Linuxwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/24/how-to-repair-a-corrupted-filesystem-in-ubuntuonly-ubuntu-linux/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueaddthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftheappslab.com%2F2009%2F03%2F24%2Fhow-to-repair-a-corrupted-filesystem-in-ubuntuonly-ubuntu-linux%2F'; | |
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| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=MHpclpTEfLk:xTxbSv_MC3g:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/MHpclpTEfLk" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/MHpclpTEfLk/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/MHpclpTEfLk/updatedWed, 25 Mar 2009 07:20:00 +0000updated_timeWed Mar 25 07:20:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932572002840feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/24/feeling-lucky/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/24/feeling-lucky/#commentstitleFeeling Lucky?wfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/24/feeling-lucky/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueI always find it noteworthy when a handful of stories about a single company or service pop up within a day or so. | |
| Usually, none of them alone is all that interesting, but as a collection, they sometimes form a story that I find blogworthy. | |
| This time it’s Google’s Web Search. | |
| I'm feeling lucky goes here, believe it [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermfacebookschemelabeltermgoogleschemelabeltermpagerankschemelabeltermsocial searchschemelabeltermtwitterschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2637summaryI always find it noteworthy when a handful of stories about a single company or service pop up within a day or so. | |
| Usually, none of them alone is all that interesting, but as a collection, they sometimes form a story that I find blogworthy. | |
| This time it’s Google’s Web Search. | |
| I'm feeling lucky goes here, believe it [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueFeeling Lucky?basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>I always find it noteworthy when a handful of stories about a single company or service pop up within a day or so.</p> | |
| <p>Usually, none of them alone is all that interesting, but as a collection, they sometimes form a story that I find blogworthy.</p> | |
| <p>This time it’s Google’s Web Search.</p> | |
| <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2640"><img title="Everyone navel-gazes" class="size-full wp-image-2640" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/navelgazing.png" height="45" alt="I'm feeling lucky goes here, believe it or not." width="422" /><p class="wp-caption-text">I'm feeling lucky goes here, believe it or not.</p></div> | |
| <p>Totally weird to see that in print. Google is synonymous with search, so it feels like overkill to list it like an item from the Google menu of services. It also feels weird to talk about search as noteworthy because for the average Intertubes user, search just is. It’s not an option or a feature.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, here are the stories that caught my eye:</p> | |
| <ul> | |
| <li><a href="http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=135433" target="_self">Media Giants Want to Top Google Results</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_changes_could_decrease_downstream_traffic.php" target="_self">Google Changes Could Decrease Downstream Traffic</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/24/twitter-tweaks-its-title-tags-for-better-google-juice/" target="_self">Twitter Tweaks its Title Tags for Better Google Juice</a></li> | |
| </ul> | |
| <p>A common thread between them, the power of Google search.</p> | |
| <p>The first article is essentially about how big content publishers “resent” that their brands don’t rate higher on results pages. They want more weight given to so-called official sources in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagerank" target="_self">PageRank</a> to drive more traffic (and theoretically, money) to their online presences. Getting more weight pushes the content to the top of the results, above the fold; that’s the magic kingdom of SEO.</p> | |
| <p>Skipping the judgment section of the post, isn’t it freaky that these mainstream media publishers have conceded so much power to Google?</p> | |
| <p>What about their own SEO efforts? What about their ability to draw eyeballs directly to their content?</p> | |
| <p>It seems like yesterday when every TV ad plugged an AOL keyword and an “Internet web site address”.</p> | |
| <p>I guess those aren’t working well enough anymore. Think about your own behavior. How often do you use Google search in a day? Our dependency on search manifests in funny ways, e.g. <a href="http://lmgtfy.com/" target="_self">let me Google that for you</a>. While we’re talking about lazy web . . .</p> | |
| <p>What if Google were gone, and you had to seek content other ways? I know I’d go to <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/02/16/social-search-wins/" target="_self">social search</a> through Twitter or Facebook for a lot of answers. Social search (ahem, lazy web) gives pretty good results, although they’re highly dependent on the makeup of a network.</p> | |
| <p>One analyst made a stir recently by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-facebook-could-kill-google-analyst-2009-3" target="_self">predicting</a> that Facebook will pass Google in terms of traffic as soon as 2011. If Twitter keeps <a href="http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/twitter-growth-rate-versus-facebook/" target="_self">growing</a> like it is, they’ll probably pass Google by the time I hit publish.</p> | |
| <p>An interesting factoid from that prediction is that Facebook accounts for 19% of referred traffic to Google, up from 9% a year ago. I wonder if people know that they can search the ‘tubes using Microsoft Live within Facebook. It seems like a nightmare scenario for Microsoft. Their investment in Facebook is garnering huge traffic numbers, but Facebookers are still using Google for search, even when they can use Live Search without leaving facebook.com. I’m curious to see the numbers on the Live Search integration. Maybe the increase isn’t signifcant.</p> | |
| <p>News flash: people dig social networking. Imagine if they figure out that lazy web yields better results than Google.</p> | |
| <p>Not surprisingly, Google isn’t sitting still. In fact, the second story breaks down brand-new <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/two-new-improvements-to-google-results.html" target="_self">changes</a> Google just made to their results pages. The changes offer longer snippets for results and links to searches the algorithm thinks are related to your search.</p> | |
| <p>As Marshall notes in the RWW post, these changes seem more likely to keep traffic on google.com pages than to move it off quickly to other sites. He also mentions that <a href="http://searchengineland.com/study-80-percent-of-searches-are-informational-20-are-navigational-or-transactional-13745" target="_self">research</a> found that 80% of searches people perform online are informational in nature, whereas 10% are navigational and the other 10% are transactional.</p> | |
| <p>Again, think about your own use of Google. This maps pretty closely to my behavior, and again, I’m using lazy web more often to get that information, as long as it’s something I think the network will know. Do you use social search much? Have you tried the Greasemonkey <a href="http://mt-hacks.com/20090302-realtime-twitter-search-results-on-google.html" target="_self">script</a> that integrates Twitter’s search results into Google’s?</p> | |
| <p>That little thing rocks.</p> | |
| <p>I wouldn’t be surprised if Google and Twitter get a lot more chummy as social search and algorithm search convergence. The final story I listed covers a <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/24/twitter-tweaks-its-title-tags-for-better-google-juice/" target="_self">change</a> to Twitter’s page tags to optimize the PageRank of Twitter profile pages.</p> | |
| <p>If you have a Twitter account, just Google your name to test it for yourself (and don’t pretend you don’t Google yourself). It’s too bad you can’t run a side-by-side comparison. I do have a vague memory that Twitter was further down the list before the change.</p> | |
| <p>This change may eventually have a ripple effect on all indexed tweets too, effectively grouping your tweets with your name, which could lead to a munge of social search (your tweets) with machine search (PageRank).</p> | |
| <p>Since each tweet has its own page, now with your name on it, instead of your handle, as well as the tweet content, I thinking there will be ways to harness this proximity, like constraining a Twitter search to only your tweets. Yeah, I know you can do this already with site search and other hacks. The point is making it mainstream and dead simple.</p> | |
| <p>Why was all this interesting?</p> | |
| <p>It underlines what a dominant force Google search is and how aggressively Google will move to protect that dominance.</p> | |
| <p>What do you think about all this search stuff?</p> | |
| <p>Your thoughts are lonely and belong in the comments where they have company.</p> | |
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| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=Zcsr9j9-QNU:zCjKJIpkRHY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/Zcsr9j9-QNU" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/Zcsr9j9-QNU/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/Zcsr9j9-QNU/updatedTue, 24 Mar 2009 20:04:19 +0000updated_timeTue Mar 24 20:04:19 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009324204191830feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/23/had-enough-twitter-yet/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/23/had-enough-twitter-yet/#commentstitleHad Enough Twitter Yet?wfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/23/had-enough-twitter-yet/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueTwitter is exploding. You’ve probably seen the numbers. | |
| 1,382% comparing February 2009 with February 2008. More than 50% from January 2009 to February 2009. | |
| By all measures, that’s an insane growth rate. Mainstream media has taken note, and celebrities (and impostors) are flocking to Twitter in droves. Pun intended. Do you have a favorite celebrity you follow? [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermenterpriseschemelabeltermoratweetschemelabeltermtwitterschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2633summaryTwitter is exploding. You’ve probably seen the numbers. | |
| 1,382% comparing February 2009 with February 2008. More than 50% from January 2009 to February 2009. | |
| By all measures, that’s an insane growth rate. Mainstream media has taken note, and celebrities (and impostors) are flocking to Twitter in droves. Pun intended. Do you have a favorite celebrity you follow? [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueHad Enough Twitter Yet?basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>Twitter is <a href="http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/twitter-growth-rate-versus-facebook/" target="_self">exploding</a>. You’ve probably seen the numbers.</p> | |
| <p>1,382% comparing February 2009 with February 2008. More than 50% from January 2009 to February 2009.</p> | |
| <p>By all measures, that’s an insane growth rate. Mainstream media has taken note, and celebrities (and impostors) are flocking to Twitter in droves. Pun intended. Do you have a favorite celebrity you follow? I enjoy @<a href="http://twitter.com/the_real_shaq" target="_self">THE_REAL_SHAQ</a>.</p> | |
| <p><img title="Do you follow @god?" class="size-full wp-image-2634 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/god.png" height="30" alt="Do you follow @god?" width="292" /></p> | |
| <p>Even <a href="http://twitter.com/god" target="_self">god</a> has an account now, and yes, the lowercase “g” is on purpose. It’s a statement of fact.</p> | |
| <p>Twitter is so common now, it’s quickly replacing Facebook as the pop culture whipping boy of media types. Facebook’s window was pretty small, and they’ve apparently noticed, recently making their <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/04/another-facebook-user-revolt-is-coming/" target="_self">interface</a> more micro-bloggy.</p> | |
| <p>Enterprises have noticed too, giving life to companies like <a href="https://www.yammer.com/" target="_self">Yammer</a> and projects like <a href="http://apextoday.blogspot.com/2008/06/post-updates-to-twitter-from-apex-plsql.html" target="_self">OraTweet</a>. There’s even a new category and analysis around the “enterprise micro-blogging” space.</p> | |
| <p>As people rush into Twitter, I wonder if the ah-ha moments are coming more quickly. Like many people I know, I created an account on Twitter and waited. It took several months and a conscious effort to start seeing value. My guess is early adopters all have the same pattern of tweets over time. Sparse early, an inflection point, then ramping up each months thereafter.</p> | |
| <p>As you tweet, you discover the value’s in the network, which is what has made Twitter so tough to quit, even when it was fail whaling every day for hours at a time.</p> | |
| <p>Ah, the good old days.</p> | |
| <p>So, do you think that new tweeters follow the blog posts of their fore-tweeters to get to their own inflection points sooner? Do you think they’re using Twitter for different things? Are the celebrities and media types drawing them to Twitter and keeping their attention?</p> | |
| <p>I don’t really know.</p> | |
| <p>I’ve been watching the adoption of OraTweet with interest. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but it does underline the common uses for so-called micro-blogging. Incidentally, will someone please coin a better term for generic tweeting than “micro-blogging”.</p> | |
| <p>Here are the common cases I’ve observed:</p> | |
| <ol> | |
| <li>Frustration</li> | |
| <li>Communication</li> | |
| <li>Seeking and Sharing Information</li> | |
| <li>Work Streaming</li> | |
| </ol> | |
| <p>With the exception of 4, these are all very common on Twitter as well. 4 represents a unique use case inside the firewall, and I expect to see it grow over time as people discover they can broadcast how busy they are to the whole company, erm anyone listening.</p> | |
| <p>I’m kidding, a little. OraTweet is highly useful for distributed teams to broadcast issues and updates to the entire project team. This was one of its first and best <a href="http://theappslab.com/2008/08/26/social-observations-oratweet-edition/" target="_self">uses</a>.</p> | |
| <p>Not surprisingly 2 (Communication) is finding a home inside the firewall. Hutch Carpenter has an interesting <a href="http://bhc3.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/microblogging-will-marginalize-corporate-email/" target="_self">look</a> at how micro-blogging (yuck) is pushing email to the margins inside many companies. I can’t say I’ve noticed this yet here, judging by my inbox, but OraTweet has added another channel for communication.</p> | |
| <p>The new channel fits in between email and IM for communication that isn’t super important (i.e. you can keep it to 140 characters and sloppy writing) or immediate (i.e. you don’t need a pingback right this moment). This actually fits a high percentage of the water cooler/hallway/stop-by-your-cubicle communication that I remember from when I sat in an office, which leads me to wonder if remote workers are adopting more quickly to re-socialize their work time.</p> | |
| <p>Regardless of how we find value in OraTweet, another tool inside the firewall, or Twitter, people are still having trouble getting that it’s public. Hutch had <a href="http://bhc3.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/how-to-tweet-your-way-out-of-a-job/" target="_self">another</a> example of tweeting yourself in the foot last week. Tough to feel bad for someone high-hatting a job offer in this economy.</p> | |
| <p>Remember to <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/01/20/tweet-with-care/" target="_self">tweet with care</a> people.</p> | |
| <p>So, your thoughts on: Twitter’s growth, your own experiences, enterprise adoption, how you find value, how much you dislike Twitter, tweeting yourself in the foot, unfortunate mishaps, and everything else belong in the comments.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=DkIYjxNrrnc:NdNHpoH_gos:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/DkIYjxNrrnc" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/DkIYjxNrrnc/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/DkIYjxNrrnc/updatedMon, 23 Mar 2009 17:08:34 +0000updated_timeMon Mar 23 17:08:34 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009323178340820feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/20/web-mission-is-coming/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/20/web-mission-is-coming/#commentstitleWeb Mission is Comingwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/20/web-mission-is-coming/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueAs he did last year, Paul will be speaking during the Oracle portion of this year’s Web Mission, which runs March 28-April 3. | |
| What is Web Mission? Glad you asked, from the about: | |
| Web Mission is organized Bronwyn Kunhardt and James Lawn from the market intelligence company Polecat (www.polecatting.com) and by serial entrepreneur, Oli Barrett. Each [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermoracleschemelabeltermwebmissionschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2624summaryAs he did last year, Paul will be speaking during the Oracle portion of this year’s Web Mission, which runs March 28-April 3. | |
| What is Web Mission? Glad you asked, from the about: | |
| Web Mission is organized Bronwyn Kunhardt and James Lawn from the market intelligence company Polecat (www.polecatting.com) and by serial entrepreneur, Oli Barrett. Each [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWeb Mission is Comingbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img title="Web Mission" class="size-full wp-image-2626 alignright" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/webmission.png" height="84" alt="Web Mission" width="218" />As he did last year, Paul will be speaking during the Oracle portion of this year’s <a href="http://webmission.co.uk" target="_self">Web Mission</a>, which runs March 28-April 3.</p> | |
| <p>What is Web Mission? Glad you asked, from the <a href="http://webmission.co.uk/about/" target="_self">about</a>:</p> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <p class="MsoListParagraph"><em>Web Mission is organized Bronwyn Kunhardt and James Lawn from the market intelligence company Polecat (<a href="http://www.polecatting.com/">www.polecatting.com</a>) and by serial entrepreneur, Oli Barrett. Each year, Web Mission seeks to introduce 20 of the best Web 2.0 companies to the many inspiring people and supportive Web 2.0 networks which exist in Silicon Valley. The aim is to support the companies to:</em></p> | |
| <ul> | |
| <li><em>Facilitate meetings with local investors</em></li> | |
| <li><em>Meet and mingle with Silicon Valley movers and shakers relevant to their organization and growth plans</em></li> | |
| <li><em>Discuss their business with leading journalists</em></li> | |
| <li><em>Spend quality time with like-minded people on the web scene</em></li> | |
| <li><em>Explore how to succeed in the US market</em></li> | |
| </ul> | |
| <p><em>The successful companies are short-listed by judges such as Doug Richard, Mike Butcher from TechCrunch and with input from the Web Mission sponsors. The sponsors include technology companies, media companies, financial and legal organizations. They are complemented by a host of Partners who provide specialist support to the event.</em></p></blockquote> | |
| <p>Oh yeah, these companies are UK-based, and this is a trade mission of sorts, backed by the UK government to help incubate UK technology startups. Apparently, the event is backed by British politicos, and the companies will enjoy an evening at the British Consulate in San Francisco, among other things.</p> | |
| <p>But wait, there’s more.</p> | |
| <p>The <a href="http://webmission.co.uk/agenda-2009/" target="_self">agenda</a> is packed. The lucky company reps leave the UK on March 28 and return on April 4. In between, they’ll be visiting Oracle on April 1 to hear Paul and a host of other Oracle people chat, and they’ll be at the <a href="http://www.web2expo.com/" target="_self">Web 2.0 Expo</a> on April 2.</p> | |
| <p>Looking at the agenda makes me tired. The days are fully booked, and by the end, these people will be stuffed full of entrepreneurial advice and information. Sounds like a valuable, but potentially exhausting trip. Then again, these are startup people, so they’re used to burning the candle at both ends.</p> | |
| <p>Who are these lucky companies?</p> | |
| <p>Here’s a checklist of the companies who are attending Web Mission 2009.</p> | |
| <ul> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.artesiansolutions.com/">www.artesiansolutions.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.businessitonline.com/">www.businessitonline.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.cereproc.com/">www.cereproc.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.coclarity.com/">www.coclarity.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.complianceandrisks.com/">www.complianceandrisks.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.concrete-media.com/">www.concrete-media.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.corebridge.com/">www.corebridge.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.freshnetworks.com/">www.freshnetworks.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.mtivity.com/">www.mtivity.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.proofhq.com/">www.proofhq.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.replify.com/">www.replify.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.sift.com/">www.sift.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.sosius.com/">www.sosius.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.tactilecrm.com/">www.tactilecrm.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.viapost.com/">www.viapost.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.yuuguu.com/">www.yuuguu.com</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.zemanta.com/">www.zemanta.com</a></li> | |
| </ul> | |
| <p>Two alumni from Web Mission 2008</p> | |
| <ul> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.huddle.net/">www.huddle.net</a></li> | |
| <li><a href="http://www.trampolinesystems.com/">www.trampolinesystems.com</a></li> | |
| </ul> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=RWnbYG3Id1E:rTZuLE-AXns:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/RWnbYG3Id1E" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/RWnbYG3Id1E/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/RWnbYG3Id1E/updatedFri, 20 Mar 2009 17:23:02 +0000updated_timeFri Mar 20 17:23:02 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009320172324790feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/19/ignore-your-competition-focus-on-the-stable/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/19/ignore-your-competition-focus-on-the-stable/#commentstitleIgnore Your Competition, Focus on the Stablewfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/19/ignore-your-competition-focus-on-the-stable/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvaluePhoto Credit: FoxTongue | |
| I watched a recent interview with Jeff Bezos on Charlie Rose the other day. In it, he was questioned as to how he, against the odds, “beat” the various etailers of the day pushing books online. His answer was fantastically elegant and straight forward. He is fanatical about aligning his organization to his [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabelauthorPaulidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2617summaryPhoto Credit: FoxTongue | |
| I watched a recent interview with Jeff Bezos on Charlie Rose the other day. In it, he was questioned as to how he, against the odds, “beat” the various etailers of the day pushing books online. His answer was fantastically elegant and straight forward. He is fanatical about aligning his organization to his [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueIgnore Your Competition, Focus on the Stablebasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img title="2657434642_543c30685f" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2619" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/2657434642_543c30685f-300x216.jpg" height="216" alt="2657434642_543c30685f" width="300" /></p> | |
| <h5><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxtongue/2657434642/">Photo Credit: FoxTongue</a></h5> | |
| <p>I watched a recent interview with <a href="http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/8784">Jeff Bezos on Charlie Rose</a> the other day. In it, he was questioned as to how he, against the odds, “beat” the various etailers of the day pushing books online. His answer was fantastically elegant and straight forward. He is fanatical about aligning his organization to his customer’s needs. This may mean making short term decisions that do not align with shareholders, and if you are an Amazon customer (and I am for life) you have probably experienced this via their incredible return process. However, he feels that in the long run, there is always alignment between customers and shareholders. Brilliant.</p> | |
| <p>Now you may be thinking, oh I have heard the customer-centric story before. The good news is that Jeff went a bit deeper into their actual approach to a customer driven business. In essence, he focuses his organization on <strong>excelling at the things customers want that do not shift over time</strong>. To Amazon, that means, wide product selection, low price and fast delivery - those will always be important to his customer. In his words, “I can’t imagine a customer saying, I really like Amazon, but I wish their prices were higher”. I should note that this concept applies to software as well, as conveyed recently by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQFPMuZ7hl4">Jason Fried</a> in his talk at the Business of Software Conference, only for him, the unchanging were things like ease of use and performance.</p> | |
| <p>Back to Bezos - The other lesson conveyed subtly was to <strong>ignore the competition</strong>. You may be sitting there saying, oh yeah, that sounds great, but I can’t ignore my competition. I need to know what they are doing so I can contrast the differences to my customers or so I can talk credibly to the analysts. On that point, I would agree, but it is a matter of intent and degree. The problem arises when you use that competitive gaze to consume all your time <em>or to drive your strategy</em>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Porter">Michael Porter</a> may disagree, but strategy, from my perspective, must be driven primarily from your customers needs. Everything else is secondary.</p> | |
| <p>The intersting thing about these notions is that they are in many ways ignored by companies of all shapes and sizes. Far too often I see firms chasing market hype or the latest competitive move in a copycat feature race to oblivion, while customers sit on the sidelines with their popcorn. Competitor A adds AJAX, we need it. Competitor B has a Facebook app, we gotta have it. Competitor C is on demand, let’s get on it. Perhaps it is just easier or more fun to spend time talking to your co-workers about cool new features as opposed to reaching out to customers and potentially hearing about what you can do better. Who wants to hear that right?</p> | |
| <p>As you ponder this you may be tempted to return to your cozy old ways of thinking and acting. The usual line that I hear to counter this approach, is that customers really don’t know what they want anyway, so why ask them. That comment is usually followed up with something pithy like “Would a customer have asked for the ipod?”. To that I say, rubbish. Customers are very bright and if you talked to a few you might have already known that.</p> | |
| <p><span>Let me leave you with three simple reasons why a strategy driven by competition is a fools errand:</span></p> | |
| <p><strong>1. Time Is Limited:</strong> Every moment you spend on our competition is time you could have spent working with a customer.</p> | |
| <p><strong>2. Competitors Could Be Wrong:</strong> The strategy they are implementing, and you are choosing to follow, could be off the mark and a total waste of time and money. Oftentimes we think people at other companies are smarter than us - that could be wrong too.</p> | |
| <p><strong>3. Your Strategy Must Be Yours: </strong>Not all companies are created equal. Each has their own assets, skills, resources, relationships and more, that they can, and should, bring to bear on a strategy. If you copy your competitor you just may be ignoring your best assets and playing a game on their home turf. If you have a great running game, do you play a passing offense because that is what the other team is doing? The answer is obvious and no different for business.</p> | |
| <p>In the end, my favorite part of this is the simplicity. As humans, we love complex things. They make us feel smart and special, but more and more, in life and in business simple wins the day.</p> | |
| <p>Now where is my phone, I need to call a customer…</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=r9-VLtboEjk:rT-SF8lNys4:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/r9-VLtboEjk" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/r9-VLtboEjk/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/r9-VLtboEjk/updatedThu, 19 Mar 2009 17:32:44 +0000updated_timeThu Mar 19 17:32:44 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093191732443780feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/18/i-might-pay-for-jotnot/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/18/i-might-pay-for-jotnot/#commentstitleI Might Pay for JotNotwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/18/i-might-pay-for-jotnot/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueThere are very few times when I read something and think to myself, I must blog this immediately and tell as many people as possible. | |
| This is one of those few times. | |
| JotNot is a web service that converts pictures into documents. Send a picture to them by email or upload one to their website and get [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermappsschemelabeltermimagesschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermjotnotschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2611summaryThere are very few times when I read something and think to myself, I must blog this immediately and tell as many people as possible. | |
| This is one of those few times. | |
| JotNot is a web service that converts pictures into documents. Send a picture to them by email or upload one to their website and get [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueI Might Pay for JotNotbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>There are very few times when I read something and think to myself, I must blog this immediately and tell as many people as possible.</p> | |
| <p>This is one of those few times.</p> | |
| <p><a href="http://www.jotnot.com/" target="_self">JotNot</a> is a web service that converts pictures into documents. Send a picture to them by email or upload one to their website and get back a Word or pdf version. Not a big deal, there are other services that do this.</p> | |
| <p>This service is good for transferring information on a whiteboard into something you can distribute, and believe it or not, this happens quite frequently and is a constant frustration for telecommuters who aren’t “in the room”.</p> | |
| <p>It’s also good for scanning, if you don’t have a scanner.</p> | |
| <p><img title="JotNot's blue box, captured from iTunes app page" class="size-full wp-image-2612 alignleft" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bluebox.png" height="289" alt="JotNot's blue box, captured from iTunes app page" width="201" /><img title="Enhanced image, captured from iTunes app page" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2613" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/enhanced.png" height="289" alt="Enhanced image, captured from iTunes app page" width="201" /></p> | |
| <p>Now, h/t <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/17/jotnot-turns-your-iphones-camera-into-a-document-scanner/" target="_self">TechCrunch</a>, they have an iPhone <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307868751&mt=8" target="_self">app</a> (iTunes link).</p> | |
| <p>The app sounds very simple. Take a picture (or import one). Use the blue box presented by the app to indicate the area you want captured. Then wait as the app does its processing magic, correcting for lighting, color, and even perspective. Very cool.</p> | |
| <p>Unfortunately, this app costs $3.99, and I have yet to pay for an iPhone app. I’m still not over the initial sticker shock, my prerogative as an OG iPhone guy who paid full boat back in July 2007. However, this app tempts me to get over my desire for full amortization.</p> | |
| <p>If you read here, you know I prefer iPhone apps that perform <a href="http://theappslab.com/2008/12/23/iphone-apps-for-units-of-work/" target="_self">units of work</a>, and usually, I can see value in these apps, even if I don’t have a specific use case or pain point in mind. JotNot hits two, very real pain points for me, and I’m pretty sure one or both apply to you as well.</p> | |
| <p><strong>Pain Point 1</strong><br /> | |
| The JotNot web service doesn’t meet my needs for whiteboard pictures. Why? Because typically, there’s sensitive information on that whiteboard, and it shouldn’t reside on outside servers.</p> | |
| <p>Yeah, it may not seem like a huge deal, but I like my job <img class="wp-smiley" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> </p> | |
| <p>The JotNot iPhone app does all its processing on the device. So, no worries about leaking the top secret designs for the next version of Connect.</p> | |
| <p>I could have used this app the last time Paul, Rich, Anthony and I sat in a conference room in Pleasanton, brainstorming Connect’s direction. We ended up with about five picture’s worth of whiteboard content, which I then had to email for posterity. Corrections for my bad photography would have been nice.</p> | |
| <p>There have also been several times when people have told me “I have it all on my whiteboard”, which didn’t really help me, since I’m not even in the same state as your whiteboard. It would have been nice to get a picture of that whiteboard.</p> | |
| <p><strong>Pain Point 2</strong><br /> | |
| We recently switched to scanning expense receipts. This is a bit problematic for home-based people unless there happens to be a scanner or an all-in-one in the house. In some rare cases, the all-in-one may be old enough not have any Mac or Linux drivers, making its scanning functions useless (and yes, I tried with a VM, no luck).</p> | |
| <p>This makes scanning receipts a challenge. I could use the JotNot web service, since receipts aren’t confidential, or the iPhone app, my choice. The one drawback of the iPhone app is that (I assume) the processed image format is jpg, just like all the iPhone camera images are.</p> | |
| <p>We need to submit receipts in pdf form. So, there would be an additional step required to transfer (or mail) it for conversion to pdf.</p> | |
| <p>Even so, as a guy who used to travel five days a week and struggled to keep current with expenses, I see huge value in this app. Consultants and sales people who live on the road can’t always predict when they will be able to scan receipts.</p> | |
| <p>JotNot would definitely help nomadic workers who live on the road and in hotels.</p> | |
| <p>So, color me impressed. Find the comments to add your two cents. Add enough, and I’ll use it buy this app.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=FoWwLTmUXFE:lqxAFDdapME:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/FoWwLTmUXFE" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/FoWwLTmUXFE/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/FoWwLTmUXFE/updatedWed, 18 Mar 2009 21:06:22 +0000updated_timeWed Mar 18 21:06:22 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009318216222770feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/18/ted-on-play/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/18/ted-on-play/#commentstitleTED on Playwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/18/ted-on-play/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueI am spending some cycles these days thinking on the integration of play and work. I happen to believe that there is some real magic to be had here for organizations and for firms looking to supply the next generation of software. Sure making work a game seems a bit out there (I get that), [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabelauthorPaulidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2608summaryI am spending some cycles these days thinking on the integration of play and work. I happen to believe that there is some real magic to be had here for organizations and for firms looking to supply the next generation of software. Sure making work a game seems a bit out there (I get that), [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueTED on Playbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>I am spending some cycles these days thinking on the integration of play and work. I happen to believe that there is some real magic to be had here for organizations and for firms looking to supply the next generation of software. Sure making work a game seems a bit out there (I get that), and I guess I could go back to thinking about RSS and Twitter, but I think that is pretty well covered by a host of others. Knowing my current fascination with this topic, <a href="http://theappslab.com/about/">Jake </a>passed along this TED talk by Stuart Brown:</p> | |
| <p><span></span></p> | |
| <p>Although I agree whole heartily with the message, and his story about the wild polar bear playing with huskies is incredible (watch it just for that), the section on the integration of play into our adulthood was sorely lacking in actionable information. We are told the diagnosis (”Play is important to everyone”), but are abruptly kicked out of the hospital without any treatment and a draft from the back of our robe. To be fair, Stuart did share some work done in his class on play at Stanford that endeavored to connect play with adult work life. The short video showed how his students would “re-invent” the meeting.</p> | |
| <p>As the video rolled, I was hoping for something incredible, and unfortunately was left feeling frustrated. The idea presented by the students was to put on full body white painters overalls and then use dry erase markers to keep notes on each other during the meeting. Sure, set to music and fast motion editing, it seems fun, but I think it hurts our cause more than helping it. No “serious” executive will ever see that as anything but a waste of time. <em>In fact, no one that works anywhere, at any level, would see this as valuable</em>. I am sure it was fun to do, but if we want to make any inroads we simply cannot ignore the firm footing “getting something done” has in the mindset of the modern worker.</p> | |
| <p>To give credit where it is due, they are at least trying. Just because we do not have a great solution today, does not mean that the problem does not exist. The imbalance of play and purpose that most people feel at work cannot be ignored. These are just the crude early efforts. My sense is that we will have to take smaller, bite size approaches of integrating play with work for it to be effective, but that does not mean that more ambitious concepts like the one presented at Stanford will not provide the fodder for more practical initiatives.</p> | |
| <p>In my next post I will give a practical example of how I think play can be integrated with a product management role inside a company. Stay tuned.</p> | |
| <p>——————————</p> | |
| <p>Cross Posted to <a href="http://gamethemachine.com/2009/03/18/ted-on-play/">GameTheMachine</a></p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=DnqRLBT0DuU:KVvpQREesCs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/DnqRLBT0DuU" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/DnqRLBT0DuU/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/DnqRLBT0DuU/updatedWed, 18 Mar 2009 17:06:20 +0000updated_timeWed Mar 18 17:06:20 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009318176202770feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/17/i-want-vli/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/17/i-want-vli/#commentstitleI Want VLIwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/17/i-want-vli/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueBack in 2006 while on a trip to HQ, I sat in a meeting with some folks from the User Experience (UX) team. I don’t remember exactly what the purpose of the meeting was, but we wandered off topic and were just bouncing ideas off each other. | |
| I threw out the idea of a zero interface, [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermapisschemelabeltermconnectschemelabeltermrestschemelabeltermtwitterschemelabeltermuischemelabeltermvlischemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2599summaryBack in 2006 while on a trip to HQ, I sat in a meeting with some folks from the User Experience (UX) team. I don’t remember exactly what the purpose of the meeting was, but we wandered off topic and were just bouncing ideas off each other. | |
| I threw out the idea of a zero interface, [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueI Want VLIbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>Back in 2006 while on a trip to HQ, I sat in a meeting with some folks from the User Experience (UX) team. I don’t remember exactly what the purpose of the meeting was, but we wandered off topic and were just bouncing ideas off each other.</p> | |
| <p>I threw out the idea of a zero interface, erm very little interface (VLI), which understandably did not go over well. Not the best audience in hindsight. Looking at Twitter’s astounding <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/13/whoa-twitter-mania/" target="_self">growth</a>, I wonder how much can be attributed to their laissez faire attitude and very functional API, which has created an ecosystem of apps around them.</p> | |
| <p><img title="I'm always reminded of Joey from Friends "How you doin'?"" class="size-full wp-image-2601 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/vli.png" height="71" alt="I'm always reminded of Joey from Friends "How you doin'?"" width="529" /></p> | |
| <p>Granted, Twitter has a pretty <a href="http://mashable.com/2009/03/10/twitter-free-pr/" target="_self">limited</a> feature set, which makes it much easier for them to implement a VLI, but that combined with their openness has bread success. This is a repeatable formula.</p> | |
| <p>I’m a big believer in simplicity in UI, frequently preferring a command line interface (CLI) to a UI. Obviously, zero interface is an impossibility, which is why I’m using the term VLI. Using Twitter as an analog again, Twitter.com is very simplistic. In fact, they haven’t integrated twitter.search.com (formerly Summize), nor do they track all @ replies.</p> | |
| <p>However, their API is very functional, <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/16/tweetdeck-adds-facebook-whats-next/" target="_self">allowing</a> client apps like <a href="http://tweetdeck.com" target="_self">TweetDeck</a> to replace (and augment) the twitter.com feature set. The only piece they’ve kept closed is account creation and management, and now that <a href="http://oauth.net/" target="_self">OAuth</a> integration is in <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/16/twitters-oauth-support-now-in-public-beta/" target="_self">public beta</a>, who knows if they’ll open pieces of profile management as well.</p> | |
| <p>Twitter.com <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/19/the-top-21-twitter-clients-according-to-twitstat/" target="_self">remains</a> the most popular way to tweet, although its share has <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/19/the-top-21-twitter-clients-according-to-twitstat/" target="_self">fallen</a> from 55% in April 2008 to 32% in February 2009. Granted, it’s difficult to track traffic accurately, so this is an unscientific measure. As an aside, I wonder which client benefited the most from the <a href="http://status.twitter.com/post/53978711/im-not-coming-soon" target="_self">loss</a> of IM as a client?</p> | |
| <p>And all bets are off, if Twitter decides to monetize the pageviews. That would be interesting.</p> | |
| <p>So, what have we learned? VLI isn’t about interface at all. It’s about data.</p> | |
| <p>Data make your app valuable. Interface is a byproduct of data.</p> | |
| <p>If you’ve ever built UI, you know how tough it is to balance usability with functionality. Throw users into the mix, and you have a whole lot of must-have requirements that don’t play nicely with each other.</p> | |
| <p>Enter the second tenant of VLI, open APIs.</p> | |
| <p>You must give your users (specifically, their developers) that ability to remix the data.</p> | |
| <p>This has been our goal for Connect. We haven’t been able to keep the UI as simple as Twitter’s because as a new app, we needed a more functional UI so our new users could get what Connect was.</p> | |
| <p>However, as our user base has grown, we’ve added REST APIs for the user data, which has spawned <a href="http://theappslab.com/2008/12/17/two-great-tastes-that-taste-great-together/" target="_self">integrations</a> with a few other apps, e.g. OraTweet. <a href="http://apextoday.blogspot.com/" target="_self">Noel</a> has followed the same principles too, producing APIs for OraTweet that we consume.</p> | |
| <p>As Connect’s user base grows, more people have asked about using the APIs we produce because they have specific uses and don’t expect (or want) us to extend Connect to support them.</p> | |
| <p>We do benefit from the security blanket of being behind the firewall, and if Twitter’s growth is an indication, I expect to see lots more demand for Connect data in the next year-ish.</p> | |
| <p>So, what do you about VLI? Are you a more traditional UI person? If so, call me out in comments.</p> | |
| <p><em>Update: As Andy C points out in <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/17/i-want-vli/comment-page-1/#comment-7304697" target="_self">comments</a>, Twitter isn’t as open when compared to open source projects like <a href="http://laconi.ca/" target="_self">Laconica</a>, although that’s not really the point of the post. My goal is to examine a for-profit (an assumption in Twitter’s case) service and its approach to APIs and interface. The model is interesting to me, similar to one that I’ve proposed in the past and one we’ve tried to model with our work on Connect.</em></p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=uNH1sK_W1JA:C4oF0ENeHFI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/uNH1sK_W1JA" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/uNH1sK_W1JA/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/uNH1sK_W1JA/updatedTue, 17 Mar 2009 22:38:48 +0000updated_timeTue Mar 17 22:38:48 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093172238481760feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/16/tweetdeck-adds-facebook-whats-next/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/16/tweetdeck-adds-facebook-whats-next/#commentstitleTweetDeck Adds Facebook, What’s Next?wfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/16/tweetdeck-adds-facebook-whats-next/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueAs is usual during the weeks before and during South by Southwest, there are a lot of product announcements. | |
| I’m not quite sure how/when it happened, but SXSW Interactive has become a nexus of startup activity and geekery, e.g. Twitter’s first bump came when the service won the SXSW Web Awards in 2007. | |
| So, it’s become a [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermapisschemelabeltermfacebookschemelabeltermtweetdeckschemelabeltermtwitterschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2593summaryAs is usual during the weeks before and during South by Southwest, there are a lot of product announcements. | |
| I’m not quite sure how/when it happened, but SXSW Interactive has become a nexus of startup activity and geekery, e.g. Twitter’s first bump came when the service won the SXSW Web Awards in 2007. | |
| So, it’s become a [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueTweetDeck Adds Facebook, What’s Next?basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img title="TweetDeck" class="size-full wp-image-2597 alignleft" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/tweetdeck_128.png" height="128" alt="TweetDeck" width="128" />As is usual during the weeks before and during <a href="http://sxsw.com/home" target="_self">South by Southwest</a>, there are a lot of product announcements.</p> | |
| <p>I’m not quite sure how/when it happened, but <a href="http://sxsw.com/interactive" target="_self">SXSW Interactive</a> has become a nexus of startup activity and geekery, e.g. Twitter’s first bump came when the service <a href="http://blog.twitter.com/2007/03/we-won.html" target="_self">won</a> the SXSW Web Awards in 2007.</p> | |
| <p>So, it’s become a yearly rush of new feature and new company announcements. This year, not so many new companies, but plenty of new features. Over the last week plus, going into SXSW, and in its first few days, I’ve collected a bunch of topics for further thought that may turn into blog posts.</p> | |
| <p>But today, one item caught my attention, and I wanted to riff on it before it went cold.</p> | |
| <p><a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/beta/" target="_self">TweetDeck</a>, the <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/19/the-top-21-twitter-clients-according-to-twitstat/" target="_self">most popular</a> Twitter client and the one I use, released a <a href="http://tweetdeck.posterous.com/tweetdeck-v024-pre-release-facebook-integrati" target="_self">beta version</a> (h/t Frederic Lardinois at <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/twitterization_of_facebook_on_the_desktop.php" target="_self">RWW</a>) that integrates with Facebook Connect, allowing you to view your News Feed in one of its columns. Also, you can now choose to post updates from TweetDeck to Facebook, making TweetDeck a Facebook status client.</p> | |
| <p>Updates can be sent to both Twitter and Facebook, effectively removing the need for the Twitter Facebook application, and ensuring that both your networks will stay updated on your activity. He said with more than a hint of sarcasm <img class="wp-smiley" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> </p> | |
| <p>If you’re wondering, TweetDeck does not post updates beginning with @ to Facebook, which makes sense, since they’re out of context. It does not, however, ignore updates that contain @ after the first character though, which should be an enhancement later. Then again, Twitter doesn’t officially track replies @ you unless they begin with @, which is one reason why AIR clients and Summize (now <a href="http://search.twitter.com" target="_self">Twitter Search</a>) are so popular for tracking those @ replies.</p> | |
| <p>This is mildly cool, if you use both services and want to broadcast to Facebook like you do to Twitter. The <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/04/another-facebook-user-revolt-is-coming/" target="_self">recent</a> UI changes to Facebook aim to make it more like Twitter and FriendFeed, which is sure to appeal to existing users of those services; the jury is out on whether the masses on Facebook will take to the life-streaming, micro-blogging approach.</p> | |
| <p>I’m guessing they will, eventually, since Facebook has so much momentum right now.</p> | |
| <p>I like the implementation overall. It’s smooth and easy to use, and it fits within TweetDeck easily. My main beef is that it adds yet another column to an already real estate hungry app. I can only show four TweetDeck columns as it is, and now I have another that I might want to see competing for screen time.</p> | |
| <p>I’m not sure how to solve this problem, other than with a <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9179LL/A" target="_self">cinema display</a>. Christmas might have to come early.</p> | |
| <p>None of this is terribly interesting to me though.</p> | |
| <p>What got me about TweetDeck’s new version its potential to marginalize the networks themselves. Bear with me here.</p> | |
| <p>TweetDeck’s main appeal over any other Twitter AIR client (<a href="http://www.alertthingy.com/" target="_self">AlertThingy</a>, <a href="http://www.twhirl.org/" target="_self">Twhirl</a>, etc.) is its implementation of groups, something that is sorely needed for Twitter. Having groups allows you to control what you follow and to organize the chaos that Twitter can become once you follow a few hundred people (or sooner).</p> | |
| <p>Twitter seems fine with allowing TweetDeck to fill this vacuum, and even though TweetDeck is the top Twitter client, it lags well behind twitter.com for overall traffic to Twitter.</p> | |
| <p>Enter Facebook updates. My logical conclusion is that I should be able to add Facebook friends to my existing groups. This isn’t the case in the beta release, but image how useful that would for a person who uses both services frequently. You could focus your attention on the people who mattered most, regardless of the service they prefer to use.</p> | |
| <p>For example, Paul uses Facebook more than Twitter. I rarely see his updates to Facebook because I prefer Twitter. To communicate, one of us has to use his second choice in networks. If TweetDeck supported groups across services, we could each use our first choice in networks for communicating.</p> | |
| <p>TweetDeck already supports a host of Twitter features, including follows, favorites, directs and even search, which Twitter has yet to integrate into twitter.com. About the only thing you can’t do with TweetDeck is create and manage your account. Otherwise, it’s fully operational.</p> | |
| <p>I seriously doubt that Facebook will expose this much functionality to apps like TweetDeck, but the more they add, the less traffic they serve directly. Less traffic means less clout with advertisers, which is not good for business.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, I’m very curious to see how this Facebook client integration progresses. Logically, it makes sense for Facebook to open up some of their data to clients, since the model has already been proven. After all, of their user population, only a small percentage will choose clients over facebook.com.</p> | |
| <p>At least that’s the way it looks now. Things change quickly though. This time last week, I would have been laughed at the idea of a Facebook client.</p> | |
| <p>Find the comments and share your thoughts.</p> | |
| <p><em>Update: A day after TweetDeck’s beta, <a href="http://alertthingy.com/" target="_self">AlertThingy</a>, another AIR app for monitoring Twitter and FriendFeed, added Facebook, Flickr and Digg contacts and custom groups to their offering. Significantly, their groups support contacts from multiple networks (h/t <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/alertthingy_goes_head_to_head_with_tweetdeck.php" target="_self">RWW</a>).</em></p> | |
| <p><em>I may have to go back to AlertThingy, which I tried about a year ago when they produced the first FriendFeed app. I quickly stopped using it because I just can’t keep up with FriendFeed, not anything to do with AlertThingy.</em></p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=IKdlniOCUuA:lX8Cnu4h9QI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/IKdlniOCUuA" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/IKdlniOCUuA/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/IKdlniOCUuA/updatedTue, 17 Mar 2009 04:31:12 +0000updated_timeTue Mar 17 04:31:12 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009317431121760feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/14/anatomy-of-a-spam-attack/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/14/anatomy-of-a-spam-attack/#commentstitleAnatomy of a Spam Attackwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/14/anatomy-of-a-spam-attack/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueYesterday, I did some browsing of the web analytics for this blog to get comparison numbers for the browser stats I had for Connect. | |
| Today, I went back to do a little more digging and some navel-gazing | |
| We use Google Analytics, which I prefer to Mint for web metrics. It has loads of metrics beyond [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermanalyticsschemelabeltermdisqusschemelabeltermspamschemelabeltermweb metricsschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2584summaryYesterday, I did some browsing of the web analytics for this blog to get comparison numbers for the browser stats I had for Connect. | |
| Today, I went back to do a little more digging and some navel-gazing | |
| We use Google Analytics, which I prefer to Mint for web metrics. It has loads of metrics beyond [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueAnatomy of a Spam Attackbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>Yesterday, I did some browsing of the web analytics for this blog to get comparison numbers for the <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/on-browsers/" target="_self">browser stats</a> I had for Connect.</p> | |
| <p>Today, I went back to do a little more digging and some navel-gazing <img class="wp-smiley" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> </p> | |
| <p>We use Google Analytics, which I prefer to Mint for web metrics. It has loads of metrics beyond the standard pageviews and visits. As a side note, now that Feedburner accounts are merging with Google accounts, I’m hoping that Analytics will soon include Feedburner stats too. Seems logical.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, I like to set the date range to the life of this blog (from June 2007) to get the best snapshot view from the graphs.</p> | |
| <p>What jumped out was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounce_Rate" target="_self">Bounce Rate</a> graph.</p> | |
| <p><img title="Bounce Rate from last week, dropped by 50%?" class="size-full wp-image-2586 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bouncerate.png" height="110" alt="Bounce Rate from last week, dropped by 50%?" width="478" /></p> | |
| <p>All of a sudden, our normal 75% bounce rate (I know, terrible) inexplicably dropped to less than 40% a week ago and sustained that rate all last week.</p> | |
| <p>Definitely weird. Maybe after the Batman vs. Superman <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/06/batman-vs-superman/" target="_self">post</a>, everyone was extra relieved to get back the normal, hard-hitting content we serve everyday. I laughed all the way through that sentence, obviously untrue.</p> | |
| <p>I relish a data anomaly, as a recovering economist, especially if there are graphs to show the patterns. I am an unabashed data pr0n dork.</p> | |
| <p>Accompanying the drop in bounce rate, there were, not surprisingly, corresponding jumps in pages per visit and pageviews over the same time period. Makes sense, the longer people stay on your site, the more pages they are likely to view.</p> | |
| <p><img title="Average pageviews per visit, also up last week . . ." class="size-full wp-image-2587 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/pagespervisit.png" height="103" alt="Average pageviews per visit, also up last week . . ." width="470" /></p> | |
| <p>Logically, you would also expect to see a rise in time spent on the site, as people read more. Not so much. In fact, Saturday’s average time on site was 19 seconds; that same day, the bounce rate dropped to 36% from 69% and pages per visit jumped to 2.41 from 1.64.</p> | |
| <p><img title="Time Spent on Site *drops*, thank you spammers" class="size-full wp-image-2588 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/timeonsite.png" height="109" alt="Time Spent on Site *drops*, thank you spammers" width="476" /></p> | |
| <p>All this points to comment spammers.</p> | |
| <p>Exhibit A: Looking through the WordPress and Disqus comment logs from the last week, there was definitely a rise in comments on old posts, definitely a sign of spam. And these aren’t old posts that come up on the first page for common keyword searches, like “oracle iphone”.</p> | |
| <p>Exhibit B: The spam comments are borderline, with plausible names and comments, not the usual link spam left by Monster Truck Rally. This tells me spammers are modifying their behavior slightly to get past the measures Disqus has taken.</p> | |
| <p>Exhibit C: The pattern of multiple comments onm different posts from the same account backed up the web metric data.</p> | |
| <p>So, I accuse Colonel Mustard, in the Study, with the lasso.</p> | |
| <p>I know, as a naive kid, I thought that was a lasso. Ah, innocence.</p> | |
| <p>Comment spamming has been on the <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/02/12/who-benefits-from-blog-comment-spam/" target="_self">rise</a> this year, at least the spam that gets past spam filters. Disqus noted that the recent rash of spam comes from real people, not bots. The assumed goal of comment spam is to bump SEO for the spammers; I firmly believe this is a new cottage industry, operated <a href="https://www.mturk.com/mturk/welcome" target="_self">Mechanical Turk</a> style.</p> | |
| <p>A crappy economy opens up a larger pool of people with computers who are motivated to earn easy money, and how much easier does it get than comment spam? Find a blog that allows unverified or anonymous comments and drop three comments on three posts. In and out in a matter of seconds. They probably get paid for the gross number of comments with the spammer’s link.</p> | |
| <p>This might even be that job advertised on the TV. You know the one that says you can make thousands in a week, tens of thousands in a month, working “on the Internet” from home. All those smiling people tell you nothing about what the job entails. There’s always a shady URL that tells you nothing about the company.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, I’m not really bothered by comment spam, but I know people are, e.g. <a href="http://bexhuff.com/" target="_self">Bex</a>, who uses a comment captcha process that makes me want to cry it’s so frustrating.</p> | |
| <p>Does it bother you? What do think of my analysis? Did you enjoy the web analytics primer?</p> | |
| <p>Sound off in the comments with something useful, like “I will give it a try for sure !”.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=RHMDYFl-2jg:XPHct16DES0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/RHMDYFl-2jg" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/RHMDYFl-2jg/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/RHMDYFl-2jg/updatedSat, 14 Mar 2009 20:35:46 +0000updated_timeSat Mar 14 20:35:46 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093142035465730feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/on-browsers/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/on-browsers/#commentstitleOn Browserswfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/on-browsers/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueIE6 is like that cold that just won’t go away; you feel well enough to go to work, but it keeps sapping your energy. | |
| To many users, IE6 is the Internet. It came with your computer, and it’s the way you get online. Resisting the urge to put online in quotes. Like many web apps, we’ve [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermchromeschemelabeltermconnectschemelabeltermfirefoxschemelabeltermieschemelabeltermsafarischemelabeltermwebkitschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2579summaryIE6 is like that cold that just won’t go away; you feel well enough to go to work, but it keeps sapping your energy. | |
| To many users, IE6 is the Internet. It came with your computer, and it’s the way you get online. Resisting the urge to put online in quotes. Like many web apps, we’ve [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueOn Browsersbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img title="Good *old* Internet Explorer 6" class="size-medium wp-image-2581 alignright" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/internet_explorer-284x300.png" height="120" alt="Good *old* Internet Explorer 6" width="113" />IE6 is like that cold that just won’t go away; you feel well enough to go to work, but it keeps sapping your energy.</p> | |
| <p>To many users, IE6 <em>is</em> the Internet. It came with your computer, and it’s the way you get online. Resisting the urge to put online in quotes. Like many web apps, we’ve been fighting against IE6 since Connect was born, but it’s finally time to take a stand.</p> | |
| <p>Connect looks terrible in IE6. I’m sure everyone here knows why, i.e. no support for standards, out-dated rendering, the fact that if it were a kid it would be in second grade, etc. It’s a mess. But from an investment perspective, we can’t spend Rich and Anthony’s time on making Connect look good in IE6 at the expense of fixing bugs and building new features.</p> | |
| <p>As Rich put it nicely over OraTweet, “IE hurts everyone . . . even those who use it.”</p> | |
| <p>Thought that was pretty diplomatic for Rich, considering.</p> | |
| <p>I haven’t conducted a scientific study, but I think IE6 usage has been declining since Connect launched, just as it has been sharply declining on the ‘tubes overall. Today, we toyed with the idea of showing a message to IE6 users to ask them to install and use a modern browser for the best Connect experience.</p> | |
| <p>This will happen for sure; I don’t want people thinking Connect is a turd because IE6 can’t render it correctly. I’d rather let them know that we embrace the modern web and think they should too. Put nicely.</p> | |
| <p>As a giggle, I checked the web analytics to see what percentage of users are still coming to Connect with IE6.</p> | |
| <p>14%</p> | |
| <p>That’s all-time. So, about 14,000 visits from users with IE6 since June 2007. Seems low, considering: a) how bad Connect looks in IE6, which would drive me off, b) that IE6 is still officially supported by IT as part of their base image for employees, which also includes Firefox for the record, and c) that we need to use IE to run the web conferencing tool we use.</p> | |
| <p><img title="User agent stats from Connect" class="size-full wp-image-2582 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/browsers1.png" height="275" alt="User agent stats from Connect" width="370" /></p> | |
| <p>I expected at least 25%.</p> | |
| <p>One thing that floored me was the <1% for IE5. I’d like to know who’s running IE5 out there, seriously.</p> | |
| <p>Another interesting note, Netscape accounts for 1% of the all-time traffic to Connect. The visits were from 7.1 and 7.2, which made me feel better. I was cringing at the thought of how Connect looked in Communicator 4. Don’t laugh, I actually tested that combination last Summer for a user. Ugly mess.</p> | |
| <p>I also noticed that Chrome wasn’t showing up as a browser, which is odd since a couple people have pointed out bugs in Chrome this week. Apparently, Chrome is seen as Safari by <a href="http://www.haveamint.com/" target="_self">Mint</a>; I assume due to their shared <a href="http://webkit.org/" target="_self">WebKit</a> engines.</p> | |
| <p>Friend of the Lab <a href="http://jjmpsj.blogspot.com/" target="_self">Jim Marion</a> kindly pointed me to a <a href="http://www.useragentstring.com/" target="_self">way</a> to see your user agent, which is how I cracked this case.</p> | |
| <p>So, Safari and Chrome account for 6% of our traffic, which is pretty good.</p> | |
| <p>We had a flurry of OraTweets flying around over this IE6 message thing. The best comment was:</p> | |
| <blockquote><p><em>i would just like to not have to run 4 browsers on my machine to check how everything “looks”. if we could eliminate IE and Netscape, that would be excellent.</em></p></blockquote> | |
| <p>Too true. I have two XP VMs to run IE6 and IE7. Since I have them, I can also run Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 in separate VMs. I guess soon, I’ll need another VM for IE8.</p> | |
| <p>All the different flavors of browsers make web development such a pain, but then again, remember when all we had was IE and Netscape?</p> | |
| <p>I guess it’s not so bad.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=jAlpXuuX5iw:dPsnHikC8MA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/jAlpXuuX5iw" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/jAlpXuuX5iw/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/jAlpXuuX5iw/updatedSat, 14 Mar 2009 06:14:52 +0000updated_timeSat Mar 14 06:14:52 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009314614525730feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/trying-pivotal-tracker/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/trying-pivotal-tracker/#commentstitleTrying Pivotal Trackerwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/13/trying-pivotal-tracker/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueLast week, Rich proposed that we try Pivotal Tracker for Connect. | |
| Our work on Connect can be loosely described as agile. We generally meet, either in person or on the phone, to hash out major feature releases, and then Rich and Anthony build and deploy. And I test. Every six months or so, we rinse and [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermagileschemelabeltermconnectschemelabeltermpivotal trackerschemelabeltermprojectsschemelabeltermtwitterschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2573summaryLast week, Rich proposed that we try Pivotal Tracker for Connect. | |
| Our work on Connect can be loosely described as agile. We generally meet, either in person or on the phone, to hash out major feature releases, and then Rich and Anthony build and deploy. And I test. Every six months or so, we rinse and [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueTrying Pivotal Trackerbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>Last week, Rich proposed that we try<a href="http://www.pivotaltracker.com/learnmore" target="_self"> Pivotal Tracker</a> for Connect.</p> | |
| <p><img title="Pivotal Tracker agile project planning" class="size-full wp-image-2574 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/pivotal_tracker.png" height="31" alt="Pivotal Tracker agile project planning" width="421" /></p> | |
| <p>Our work on Connect can be loosely described as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development" target="_self">agile</a>. We generally meet, either in person or on the phone, to hash out major feature releases, and then Rich and Anthony build and deploy. And I test. Every six months or so, we rinse and repeat.</p> | |
| <p>I say loosely because we’re not very organized. We follow the agile principles, but we’re not that organized, which is weird for me because I’m usually over-organized, if anything. This lack of organization works well, if we are splitting time between projects, but whenever we have a block of time to devote to Connect, Rich starts asking for structure.</p> | |
| <p>In the past, we used spreadsheets and tested a couple project management packages, <a href="http://www.basecamphq.com/" target="_self">Basecamp</a>, <a href="http://www.activecollab.com/" target="_self">activeCollab</a> and <a href="http://studios.thoughtworks.com/mingle-agile-project-management" target="_self">Mingle</a>, with varying amounts of success.</p> | |
| <p>So, last week, Rich got fed up again with a flat list of features and bugs and started a project in Pivotal Tracker.</p> | |
| <p>I have to say I’m impressed so far. I didn’t realize why I liked it so much until I found this <a href="http://venturehacks.com/articles/pivotal-tracker" target="_self">post</a> which provides 11 reasons to like Tracker:</p> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <ol> | |
| <li><em>It’s free.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s hosted.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s a joy to use. It’s the iPod of project management software. It’s all drag-and-drop and clickity-clack and it just works.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s multi-user. Your co-founder in North Korea can make changes in Tracker and you will see them instantly. No page reloads.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s for lean startups. The building block in Tracker is a <em>story</em>: an increment of customer value that you deliver with minimal waste.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s about completing your next most important task—not maintaining mile-long to-do lists, Gantt charts, and lists of bugs.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s transparent. Everybody on the team knows what everybody else is working on, their priorities, and their accomplishments.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s in sync with reality. It doesn’t take time to keep your requirements and schedule in sync with reality, even if your business priorities change daily.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It doesn’t do much. No, it doesn’t do dependencies and critical paths. It just keeps you focused on delivering value to customers.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>It’s powerful as hell. Tracker hides a lot of technology under a simple interface. It’s a serious Javascript-intensive web application that’s in the same league as Gmail and Google Maps.</em></li> | |
| <li><em>Bonus reason: Everything is on one page—there’s no need to navigate around (unlike other project management tools). More Gmail, less Hotmail.</em></li> | |
| </ol> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <p>It struck me that 11th one is gold for me. Having all the functionality on a singe page is a huge time saver for me.</p> | |
| <p>When I get a bug report or encounter a bug in Connect, I’m generally in the middle of something else. So, I want to report it, prioritize it and get back to other work. Accomplishing this by emailing Rich and Anthony is not ideal, but I did this frequently with the other tools to avoid the longer processes. None of those other tools was terribly time-consuming, but still, it’s a savings I can feel.</p> | |
| <p>The other reasons are pretty solid too, especially 10. Having used “professional” project management apps in the not-so-distant past, I appreciate fewer bells and whistles, e.g. a friend of mine mentioned he had to take a day-long training in Microsoft Project, which pretty much sums up my experience with that monster.</p> | |
| <p>Plus, much of the stuff you need to run a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfall_model" target="_self">waterfall</a> project isn’t needed in an agile one, especially when you only have two developers and one project/product manager.</p> | |
| <p>Just after Rich got us started with Tracker, I found out Twitter <a href="http://blog.twitter.com/2009/03/pivotal-means-of-crucial-importance.html" target="_self">uses</a> it too, actually keeping a couple “Pivots” on site as consultants. Tracker is built and hosted by <a href="http://pivotallabs.com/" target="_self">Pivotal Labs</a>, and did I mention Tracker is a Rails app? But you probably figured that out by now.</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=ksiqd-qU_fs:vu1ngnnr0Wk:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/ksiqd-qU_fs" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/ksiqd-qU_fs/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/ksiqd-qU_fs/updatedFri, 13 Mar 2009 22:13:21 +0000updated_timeFri Mar 13 22:13:21 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093132213214720feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/12/apex-in-the-cloud/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/12/apex-in-the-cloud/#commentstitleAPEX in the Cloudwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/12/apex-in-the-cloud/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueThis post about running APEX in the cloud by Jason Straub came across OraNA last week. | |
| I’m surprised Chet didn’t pounce on it, being the APEX devotee that he is. Basically, you can now run APEX on Amazon EC2 for 60 cents. | |
| Oracle has recently been rolling out more offerings with AWS, including database and backup images [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermamazonschemelabeltermapexschemelabeltermec2schemelabeltermoracleschemelabelterms3schemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2565summaryThis post about running APEX in the cloud by Jason Straub came across OraNA last week. | |
| I’m surprised Chet didn’t pounce on it, being the APEX devotee that he is. Basically, you can now run APEX on Amazon EC2 for 60 cents. | |
| Oracle has recently been rolling out more offerings with AWS, including database and backup images [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueAPEX in the Cloudbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img title="Run APEX on 11g in the cloud using Amazon Web Services" class="size-full wp-image-2566 alignright" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/logo_aws.gif" height="60" alt="Run APEX on 11g in the cloud using Amazon Web Services" width="164" />This <a href="http://jastraub.blogspot.com/2009/03/test-drive-oracle-application-express.html" target="_self">post</a> about running <a href="http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/index.html" target="_self">APEX</a> in the cloud by Jason Straub came across <a href="http://orana.info" target="_self">OraNA</a> last week.</p> | |
| <p>I’m surprised <a href="http://www.oraclenerd.com" target="_self">Chet</a> didn’t pounce on it, being the APEX <a href="http://www.oraclenerd.com/2008/05/apex-oracle-marketing-wtf.html" target="_self">devotee</a> that he is. Basically, you can now run APEX on <a href="http://aws.amazon.com/ec2/" target="_self">Amazon EC2</a> for 60 cents.</p> | |
| <p>Oracle has recently been rolling out more offerings with AWS, including database and backup images preconfigured for EC2 and S3; you can read more at the <a href="http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/cloud/index.ht" target="_self">Oracle Cloud Computing Center</a> on OTN. This is interesting to me, since about 18 months ago, we were searching for just such a packaged AWS 11g offering on which to run Mix. Instead, we had to find and procure hardware to put into an Oracle datacenter.</p> | |
| <p>EC2 with Oracle pre-installed and configured for backup to S3 is awesome. Total win.</p> | |
| <p>I’d like to see more promotion of this offering because since AWS was launched in 2002, startups (and their customers) have embraced EC2 and S3 for their, ahem, mission-critical apps and operations. Armeded with flexible computing power and backup, startups could easily find pre-configured MySQL installations, which led to web apps built in PHP (e.g. Facebook) and Rails (e.g. Twitter).</p> | |
| <p>Sure, to scale, successful web apps like Facebook and Twitter eventually had to raise venture funding to spend on infrastructure, but they already had users and an established service.</p> | |
| <p>I’ll bet <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/02/25/bummer-20/" target="_self">Ma.gnolia</a> would still be in business if they’d opted for an AWS image with an Oracle installation and backup preconfigured.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, now you can get APEX too, although I’m not entirely clear on how the cost breaks down, i.e. if it’s 60 cents per something or a flat rate. If you know, please enlighten in comments.</p> | |
| <p>FYI, Jason’s post and the demos on the Cloud Computing Center spend a fair amount of time on configuring PuTTY to connect via SSH and copy files with SCP. These steps are for Windows users; <a href="http://developer.amazonwebservices.com/connect/entry.jspa?entryID=609" target="_self">Elasticfox</a>, the Firefox add-on built by AWS to manage EC2 services, generates a key pair on its own. Windows doesn’t support SSH very well natively, and PuTTY is frequently the tool used to do SSH and SCP on Windows.</p> | |
| <p>OS X and Linux should work better with SSH out-of-the-box, so if you don’t run Windows, the setup has fewer steps.</p> | |
| <p>At any rate, APEX is a neat tool. <a href="http://theappslab.com/2008/06/25/we-heart-hackers/" target="_self">OraTweet</a> is built in APEX, and so is Aria, Oracle’s internal employee directory. In another life at Oracle, I kicked the tires on APEX for an internal project. A lot of people swear by it, and now you can test drive it yourself over AWS. No need to provision testing hardware or worry about installing it on an existing machine.</p> | |
| <p>Pretty cool.</p> | |
| <p>Tempted to try it? Already use Oracle and AWS? I’m curious to hear what you think. Find the comments.</p> | |
| <p><em>Update: Jason has more details in a new <a href="http://jastraub.blogspot.com/2009/03/20-cents-hour-whose-got-that-kind-of.html" target="_self">post</a> today, including pricing.</em></p> | |
| <p><em>Another update: Jason breaks his pricing assumptions down in <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/12/apex-in-the-cloud/?disqus_reply=7258457#comment-7256541">comments</a>.<br /> | |
| </em></p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=9YqLUR7F650:4Pm76wwfjGU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/9YqLUR7F650" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/9YqLUR7F650/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/9YqLUR7F650/updatedThu, 12 Mar 2009 21:14:46 +0000updated_timeThu Mar 12 21:14:46 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093122114463710feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/11/connect-adds-geolocation/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/11/connect-adds-geolocation/#commentstitleConnect Adds Geolocationwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/11/connect-adds-geolocation/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueNow, we know where you are . . . but only if you tell us. | |
| Yesterday, Rich completed the addition of geolocation tracking to Connect. Now, when you OraTweet your location or update your Connect status with the secret phrase “@location” followed by a place (address or city or country), Connect stores your location. | |
| And that’s pretty [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermconnectschemelabeltermdopplrschemelabeltermgeolocationschemelabeltermoratweetschemelabeltermtripitschemelabeltermyelpschemelabelauthorJakeidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2559summaryNow, we know where you are . . . but only if you tell us. | |
| Yesterday, Rich completed the addition of geolocation tracking to Connect. Now, when you OraTweet your location or update your Connect status with the secret phrase “@location” followed by a place (address or city or country), Connect stores your location. | |
| And that’s pretty [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueConnect Adds Geolocationbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>Now, we know where you are . . . but only if you tell us.</p> | |
| <p>Yesterday, Rich completed the addition of geolocation tracking to Connect. Now, when you OraTweet your location or update your Connect status with the secret phrase “@location” followed by a place (address or city or country), Connect stores your location.</p> | |
| <p><img title="Surprise, I'm in Portland" class="size-full wp-image-2563 aligncenter" src="http://theappslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/location.png" height="95" alt="Surprise, I'm in Portland" width="472" /></p> | |
| <p>And that’s pretty much it right now.</p> | |
| <p>We didn’t build much else because we’re looking for a really compelling use case. Geolocation is a border-line creepy feature that has struggled to find mainstream acceptance on the ‘tubes, e.g. you don’t see Facebook rushing to add geo-features.</p> | |
| <p>Within the enterprise, you have an implicit layer of trust, safe inside the firewall away from phishing, spamming, malware, and you’re protected by internal organizations like HR and Legal. So, we’re thinking this should take away some of the geo-uneasiness.</p> | |
| <p>Beyond that security blanket, Oracle has a lots of travelers, and even in a downturn, there are scads of sales people and consultants on the road all the time. Plus, many teams collaborate virtually across state and country lines, and for some odd reason, seeing a map humanizes that voice on the phone.</p> | |
| <p>Don’t believe me? I used to manage a project that had people in India, and when news of that catastrophic tsunami in 2004 broke, I worried that people I knew had been affected. Luckily, in this case anyway, my Indian geography is awful, and everyone was safe. The same thing happened when news of a train wreck broke; we didn’t have Twitter then.</p> | |
| <p>It’s a small thing, but seeing where that the person you work with every day sits, even if it’s just on a map, helps you feel more connected.</p> | |
| <p>Anyway, we have some ideas already; I’ve polled <a href="http://matttopper.com" target="_self">Matt</a>, <a href="http://apextoday.blogspot.com/" target="_self">Noel</a> and <a href="http://blogs.oracle.com/clayton/" target="_self">Clayton</a> for their input too. I’m sure Matt, our resident geo-geek, has a bunch of stuff in his head waiting to see daylight, like transposing profile tags and location to find “experts” nearby. There are loads of iPhone things Clayton could add to the <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/02/04/the-oracle-people-iphone-app-is-here/" target="_self">Oracle People</a> app; nice how I make work for him. Noel has thoughts around targeting content by location.</p> | |
| <p>Rich is thinking about city or office pages, a la <a href="http://dopplr.com" target="_self">Dopplr</a> and <a href="http://tripit.com" target="_self">TripIt</a>, that could house information about office locations, etc. I’m a fan of focusing on our offices and the services they offer. Each field office has a packet of information they provide to people who join that office, e.g. gyms, restaurants, bars, etc. Why not publish that and also add reviews, a la <a href="http://yelp.com" target="_self">Yelp</a>?</p> | |
| <p>I spent six weeks in the Dallas office in 1998 and ate at the same three or so places the entire time I was there. Why, aside from being lazy? I didn’t know the area very well and didn’t feel like exploring. Having reviews would help, but also seeing who reviewed would add an easy introduction to people in a strange place.</p> | |
| <p>There’s that socializing work trend again.</p> | |
| <p>So, what do you think? Whether you work at Oracle or not, you work, right? What problems would geo-location solve for you?</p> | |
| <p>If you’re shy and don’t want to comment, let’s have a <a href="http://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/learning-from-entertainment/" target="_self">game of email</a> (h/t Paul).</p> | |
| <div class="feedflare"> | |
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| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/0rAu5UiGs04" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/0rAu5UiGs04/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/0rAu5UiGs04/updatedWed, 11 Mar 2009 17:31:50 +0000updated_timeWed Mar 11 17:31:50 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093111731502700feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/howto-enable-system-sound-in-ubuntu-intrepidubuntu-geek/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/howto-enable-system-sound-in-ubuntu-intrepidubuntu-geek/#commentstitleHowto Enable system sound in Ubuntu IntrepidUbuntu Geekwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/howto-enable-system-sound-in-ubuntu-intrepidubuntu-geek/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueaddthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftheappslab.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Fhowto-enable-system-sound-in-ubuntu-intrepidubuntu-geek%2F'; | |
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| <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?a=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/OracleAppslab?i=H5J-1FORWyo:4RYQC5tPZFs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> | |
| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/H5J-1FORWyo" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/H5J-1FORWyo/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/H5J-1FORWyo/updatedWed, 11 Mar 2009 00:43:34 +0000updated_timeWed Mar 11 00:43:34 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009311043342700feedburner_origlinkhttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/learning-from-entertainment/commentshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/learning-from-entertainment/#commentstitleLearning from Entertainmentwfw_commentrsshttp://theappslab.com/2009/03/10/learning-from-entertainment/feed/summary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvaluePhoto Credit: Timothy Hamilton | |
| I recently watched this excellent video of Nick Fortugno at the Meaningful Play conference in 2008. If you are into designing games with a message behind them it is worth a watch. | |
| Among other things, he highlights the basic split in entertainment between “form” and “content”. Form being the mechanics used to convey [...]basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabtagstermgeneralschemelabeltermgtmschemelabelauthorPaulidhttp://theappslab.com/?p=2556summaryPhoto Credit: Timothy Hamilton | |
| I recently watched this excellent video of Nick Fortugno at the Meaningful Play conference in 2008. If you are into designing games with a message behind them it is worth a watch. | |
| Among other things, he highlights the basic split in entertainment between “form” and “content”. Form being the mechanics used to convey [...]guidislinkfalsetitle_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueLearning from Entertainmentbasehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslabcontentlanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<h5><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickrgrit/811355961/"><img title="167630455_387cde5e59" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-56" src="http://gamethemachine.wordpress.com/files/2009/03/167630455_387cde5e59.jpg?w=300" height="199" alt="167630455_387cde5e59" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bestrated1/">Photo Credit: Timothy Hamilton</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickrgrit/811355961/"><br /> | |
| </a></h5> | |
| <p>I recently watched this excellent video of <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7614486442195859373&ei=RuG2SfmsO53eqAPn7r3kAw&q=game+design+serious+games&hl=en">Nick Fortugno at the Meaningful Play conference in 2008</a>. If you are into designing games with a message behind them it is worth a watch.</p> | |
| <p>Among other things, he highlights the basic split in entertainment between “form” and “content”. Form being the mechanics used to convey the message. Using examples from the past like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Tom%27s_Cabin">Uncle Tom’s Cabin</a>, he shows clearly how known formulas have been used effectively to deliver what some might call, socially responsible messages. In the case of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, she used a fairly common literary model to inject a social discussion of abolitionism into the mainstream social conversation.</p> | |
| <p>If you ponder formulas, you can find them in all types of media and entertainment. From a gaming perspective, you see them as First Person Shooters (FPS), Simulation, Role Playing Games (RPG), Board games, and more. From a film perspective, you might think about Action, Drama, Comedy or Documentary. It is essential to understand that each of these formulas attract a specific audience with clear expectations well trod by their previous experiences. People are attracted to a specific formula because of what it provides. How many nights have you said, “I am in the mood for a comedy”? - It is much more rare to say you are in the mood for a comedy about golf, or an action movie about the African diamond trade.</p> | |
| <p>If you go see a horror movie, you will expect some blood and gore, creepy imagery, and most likely some scantily clad teenagers at a deserted lake. As long as the director provides those key elements, you’ll leave (to a degree) satisfied. You got what you ordered. If the entertainment meets that core need and provides the emotional experience you sought, then you are open to receive the message they are delivering. From a design perspective, you just have to honor the formula and provide the desired experience or it will cease to be enjoyable to the audience. If you deny them the pleasure of a deep belly laugh when they yearned for comedy, no matter how interesting you may find your message, it will be lost.</p> | |
| <p>If you are a web designer you may see a parallel here when you consider <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321344758?ie=UTF8&tag=hypes-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0321344758">Steve Krug’s</a> views on convention. His opinion is that using expected behavior is good no matter how cool you think that flash widget is! Use a search box that looks the same as everyone else. Have a shopping cart icon that leads to the shopping cart. If you plan to reinvent how the shopping cart, search button, or the hyperlink work - you better have a very, very good reason. So your website formula is standard, the message (ie. content) is up to you.</p> | |
| <p>So let’s connect this with the world of software that people use to get things done - email, task management, payroll, bookkeeping, project management, etc. - collectively “business software”. If entertainment like films, games and books have taught us anything, it is that you must first create something enjoyable. Play is paramount. In the world of entertainment, purpose is largely ignored (on a percentage basis), but you can see it shine through in films like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00003CXFV?ie=UTF8&tag=hypes-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00003CXFV">Erin Brokovich</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00003CWRX?ie=UTF8&tag=hypes-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00003CWRX">The Insider</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591840538?ie=UTF8&tag=hypes-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1591840538">Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room</a>, among many others - documentaries are great at this. In the world of business software, the report card is skewed in the other direction, with purpose being the leader by a wide margin, and fun being largely ignored. The very idea of fun seems at odds with something of value. Both worlds could do with a bit of balance.</p> | |
| <p>My hope is that the future of business software can assimilate the lessons of entertainment by making something people want to play consistently as opposed to a tool to get something done. We are already seeing simplicity as a key design principle, but I believe that the dimension of fun is next. My guess is that we will as an industry need to adopt or invent a new formula for software and apply them to the problems we are trying to solve in a novel way.</p> | |
| <p>Who is up for a game of email?</p> | |
| <p>————</p> | |
| <p><a href="http://gamethemachine.com/2009/03/11/learning-from-entertainment/">Cross posted at Game The Machine.</a></p> | |
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| </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~4/PFQn4q86R1A" height="1" width="1" />basehttp://feeds2.feedburner.com/OracleAppslablinkshrefhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/PFQn4q86R1A/relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OracleAppslab/~3/PFQn4q86R1A/updatedWed, 11 Mar 2009 00:19:48 +0000updated_timeWed Mar 11 00:19:48 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009311019482700headerslast-modifiedMon, 30 Mar 2009 18:19:58 GMTcache-controlprivate, max-age=0expiresTue, 31 Mar 2009 22:54:59 GMTx-content-type-optionsnosniffetagwRizJ9x2Lwl9MlFqg7y3NcKQwjwcontent-typetext/xml; charset=UTF-8dateTue, 31 Mar 2009 22:54:59 GMTserverGFE/2.0transfer-encodingchunked | |
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| An exception has occurred for 4:http://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xml: unknown attribute: body_excerpt | |
| Exception stack trace as follows: ["/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2587:in `attributes='", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2583:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2583:in `attributes='", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:2283:in `initialize'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:123:in `new'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:123:in `import_rss_source'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:110:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:110:in `import_rss_source'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `import_rss_sources_in_batch'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:73:in `import_rss_sources_in_batch'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:50:in `import_rss'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `initialize'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `new'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:48:in `import_rss'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:47:in `each'", "/Users/richmanalang/dev/connect.git/lib/group_activity_feeder.rb:47:in `import_rss'", "(irb):1:in `irb_binding'", "/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52:in `irb_binding'", "/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52"] | |
| Data: status200hrefhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlencodingutf-8feedtitleGizmodo: Topsubtitle_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalueGizmodo posts tagged 'Top'basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlsubtitleGizmodo posts tagged 'Top'title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueGizmodo: Topbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinksrelalternatetypetext/htmlhrefhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/toprelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/topimagehrefhttp://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.pngtitleGizmodo: Toplinkhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/topbozotruemodified_timeetagnamespacesversionrss20bozo_exceptiondocumented declared as utf-8;, but parsed as utf-8updatedentriestitleGood Lord, You People Are All Slobswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5192475&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermphoto contestschemelabeltermcontestsschemelabeltermdesksschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermgalleryschemelabeltermspring cleaningschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermworkspacesschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/messydeskstop.jpg" height="400" width="801" />This week, I asked you to send me in photos of your disastrous workspaces. And man, you people are much, much more disgusting than I thought. And I assumed you were pretty disgusting.</p> <p><b>First Place</b> — David Schaefer<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/davidschaefer.jpg" height="603" width="804" /><b>Second Place</b> — Grossi Roberta<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/GrossiRoberta.jpg" height="1072" width="804" /><b>Third Place</b> — Dudesque<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/dudesque.jpg" height="603" width="804" /></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorAdam Frucciidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5192475guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/messydeskstop.jpg" height="400" width="801" />This week, I asked you to send me in photos of your disastrous workspaces. And man, you people are much, much more disgusting than I thought. And I assumed you were pretty disgusting.</p> <p><b>First Place</b> — David Schaefer<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/davidschaefer.jpg" height="603" width="804" /><b>Second Place</b> — Grossi Roberta<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/GrossiRoberta.jpg" height="1072" width="804" /><b>Third Place</b> — Dudesque<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/dudesque.jpg" height="603" width="804" /></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueGood Lord, You People Are All Slobsbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5192475/good-lord-you-people-are-all-slobsrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5192475/good-lord-you-people-are-all-slobsupdatedTue, 31 Mar 2009 15:20:00 EDTupdated_timeTue Mar 31 19:20:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009331192001900title10 of the World's Smallest Gadgetswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190768&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermlittle thingsschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermlistsschemelabeltermsmallestschemelabeltermsmallest carschemelabeltermsmallest combustion engineschemelabeltermsmallest crtschemelabeltermsmallest fuel cellschemelabeltermsmallest in the worldschemelabeltermsmallest netbookschemelabeltermsmallest pcschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermworld's smallest gadgetsschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/smallestgadgets.jpg" height="403" width="807" />The diminishing size of gadgetry is about as certain as Moore's law, and is generally good for us. But for some, size is an obsession, and smaller is <em>always</em> better. This is what they've wrought:</p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/B82SJOJKPL4.jpg" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-crt/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST CRT" class="autolink">Smallest CRT</a> TV</strong><br /> Although smaller CRT screens can be had (such as those used in old camcorder viewfinders), they won't hook up to your Wii. This 1.5-inch TV will actually connect to A/V equipment via standard RCA cables. See the video for the tiniest game of Wario ever. Strangely, this little marvel came as part of a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/219979/japanese-livingroom-diorama-with-working-15+inch-tv">miniature living room diorama</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/picotuxpc_01.jpg" height="378" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-pc/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST PC" class="autolink">Smallest PC</a></strong><br /> It's the world's smallest Linux PC, or else it's <em>very</em> close. Smaller than the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/209598/gumstix-sized-computerkinda">Gumstix</a>, smaller than the <a href="http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/tiny-space-cube-pc">SpaceCube</a>, the PicoTux is <a href="http://www.picotux.com/">horrendously underpowered</a>, has two connectors, a 5.5v DC input and an ethernet jack. But none of that matters, because this is pure novelty rendered in silicon and metal.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/35mmcamera.jpg" height="427" width="504" /><strong>Smallest 35mm Camera</strong><br /> Anyone can make a tiny digital camera, but matters are a little more complicated when you have to accommodate a 35mm strip of film. The <a href="http://www.retrothing.com/2008/04/rollei-35mm-cam.html">Rollei</a> was built in 1962, and remains one of the smallest fully operational standard film cameras ever made. How small is it? That's it next to a regular roll of film, inset. Small by 35mm standards, but probably gargantuan to you and your digicam-addled mind.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/engine.jpg" height="210" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-combustion-engine/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST COMBUSTION ENGINE" class="autolink">Smallest Combustion Engine</a></strong><br /> <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article80219.ece">Sensationally hailed</a> as a battery replacement a few years back, this tiny little butane-powered combustion engine was developed at the University of Birmingham. It promptly fell off the map, probably because people stopped listening to its maker after he suggested using one of these carbon emitters in a pacemaker. <a href="http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/nanotechnology/Sciences-new-big-idea-means.2438301.jp">Seriously</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/fuel_cell.jpg" height="379" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-fuel-cell/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST FUEL CELL" class="autolink">Smallest Fuel Cell</a></strong><br /> Speaking of battery replacements, here's a plausible one: this <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5137246/worlds-smallest-fuel-cell-could-power-your-gadgets">0.7 volt, 3mm fuel cell</a> created at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign won't do your iPod much good, and actually carries less charge than your average button cell watch battery. But as a proof of concept and a sign of better things to come, this self-contained speck of a fuel cell is <em>thrilling</em>.<br /> <br clear="all" /></p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/QphsD6jrwYk.jpg" /><strong>Smallest Optical Mouse</strong><br /> Our own John Mahoney put it best when he said of the Z-Nano, "<a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5108210/worlds-smallest-optical-mouse-proves-some-gadgets-dont-need-to-be-tinier">the threshold of practicality here has been violated</a>." Indeed it has. The Z-Nano may be the only mouse you could buy that would be <em>less</em> comfortable than your netbook's touchpad.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/hdd.jpg" height="378" width="504" /><strong>Smallest Hard Disk Drive</strong><br /> I'm sure there was a time when making teensy hard drives seemed like a great idea. It was a time that spawned such wonders as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdrive">Microdrive</a> HDD-in-a-CF-card, and which culminated in this, Toshiba's .85-inch, 8GB hard drive. As for why they never got any smaller, well, last month I purchased a 16GB Compact Flash card for $24. So.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/SIND2jRSEhc.jpg" /><strong>Smallest Production Car</strong><br /> The smallest production car ever, the Peel P50 was manufactured on Britain's Isle of Man for an original price of £199. That was in 1962. The P50's salient features, not to mention its size, are best illustrated on your left, by Jeremy Clarkson's ill-fated test drive on <em>Top Gear</em>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/KIq3JkoABYM.jpg" /><strong>Smallest Revolver</strong><br /> A 5.5cm long Swiss revolver that fires actual 2.3mm (that'd be about .09 caliber) bullets at over 300mph, the SwissMiniGun is Guinness-certified. It's illegal to import due to being technically unclassifiable under US law, and it's said to be fatal. Possibly just as a choking hazard.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/netbook.jpg" height="503" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-netbook/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST NETBOOK" class="autolink">Smallest Netbook</a></strong><br /> There <em>are</em> smaller UMPCs out there, but they're a nigh-on impossible pain to use, and most of them run custom-built Linux distributions that can make simple tasks a chore. The UMID mbook doesn't sacrifice much for its size—it's Atom-powered, runs XP, has a full keyboard and even a webcam—it's just scaled down. How far? Well, that screen you see there, that's 4.3 inches.<br clear="all" /></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Herrmanidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5190768guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/smallestgadgets.jpg" height="403" width="807" />The diminishing size of gadgetry is about as certain as Moore's law, and is generally good for us. But for some, size is an obsession, and smaller is <em>always</em> better. This is what they've wrought:</p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/B82SJOJKPL4.jpg" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-crt/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST CRT" class="autolink">Smallest CRT</a> TV</strong><br /> Although smaller CRT screens can be had (such as those used in old camcorder viewfinders), they won't hook up to your Wii. This 1.5-inch TV will actually connect to A/V equipment via standard RCA cables. See the video for the tiniest game of Wario ever. Strangely, this little marvel came as part of a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/219979/japanese-livingroom-diorama-with-working-15+inch-tv">miniature living room diorama</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/picotuxpc_01.jpg" height="378" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-pc/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST PC" class="autolink">Smallest PC</a></strong><br /> It's the world's smallest Linux PC, or else it's <em>very</em> close. Smaller than the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/209598/gumstix-sized-computerkinda">Gumstix</a>, smaller than the <a href="http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/tiny-space-cube-pc">SpaceCube</a>, the PicoTux is <a href="http://www.picotux.com/">horrendously underpowered</a>, has two connectors, a 5.5v DC input and an ethernet jack. But none of that matters, because this is pure novelty rendered in silicon and metal.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/35mmcamera.jpg" height="427" width="504" /><strong>Smallest 35mm Camera</strong><br /> Anyone can make a tiny digital camera, but matters are a little more complicated when you have to accommodate a 35mm strip of film. The <a href="http://www.retrothing.com/2008/04/rollei-35mm-cam.html">Rollei</a> was built in 1962, and remains one of the smallest fully operational standard film cameras ever made. How small is it? That's it next to a regular roll of film, inset. Small by 35mm standards, but probably gargantuan to you and your digicam-addled mind.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/engine.jpg" height="210" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-combustion-engine/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST COMBUSTION ENGINE" class="autolink">Smallest Combustion Engine</a></strong><br /> <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article80219.ece">Sensationally hailed</a> as a battery replacement a few years back, this tiny little butane-powered combustion engine was developed at the University of Birmingham. It promptly fell off the map, probably because people stopped listening to its maker after he suggested using one of these carbon emitters in a pacemaker. <a href="http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/nanotechnology/Sciences-new-big-idea-means.2438301.jp">Seriously</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/fuel_cell.jpg" height="379" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-fuel-cell/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST FUEL CELL" class="autolink">Smallest Fuel Cell</a></strong><br /> Speaking of battery replacements, here's a plausible one: this <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5137246/worlds-smallest-fuel-cell-could-power-your-gadgets">0.7 volt, 3mm fuel cell</a> created at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign won't do your iPod much good, and actually carries less charge than your average button cell watch battery. But as a proof of concept and a sign of better things to come, this self-contained speck of a fuel cell is <em>thrilling</em>.<br /> <br clear="all" /></p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/QphsD6jrwYk.jpg" /><strong>Smallest Optical Mouse</strong><br /> Our own John Mahoney put it best when he said of the Z-Nano, "<a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5108210/worlds-smallest-optical-mouse-proves-some-gadgets-dont-need-to-be-tinier">the threshold of practicality here has been violated</a>." Indeed it has. The Z-Nano may be the only mouse you could buy that would be <em>less</em> comfortable than your netbook's touchpad.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/hdd.jpg" height="378" width="504" /><strong>Smallest Hard Disk Drive</strong><br /> I'm sure there was a time when making teensy hard drives seemed like a great idea. It was a time that spawned such wonders as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdrive">Microdrive</a> HDD-in-a-CF-card, and which culminated in this, Toshiba's .85-inch, 8GB hard drive. As for why they never got any smaller, well, last month I purchased a 16GB Compact Flash card for $24. So.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/SIND2jRSEhc.jpg" /><strong>Smallest Production Car</strong><br /> The smallest production car ever, the Peel P50 was manufactured on Britain's Isle of Man for an original price of £199. That was in 1962. The P50's salient features, not to mention its size, are best illustrated on your left, by Jeremy Clarkson's ill-fated test drive on <em>Top Gear</em>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <img class="embeddedVideoThumbnail" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/KIq3JkoABYM.jpg" /><strong>Smallest Revolver</strong><br /> A 5.5cm long Swiss revolver that fires actual 2.3mm (that'd be about .09 caliber) bullets at over 300mph, the SwissMiniGun is Guinness-certified. It's illegal to import due to being technically unclassifiable under US law, and it's said to be fatal. Possibly just as a choking hazard.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/netbook.jpg" height="503" width="504" /><strong><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/smallest-netbook/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SMALLEST NETBOOK" class="autolink">Smallest Netbook</a></strong><br /> There <em>are</em> smaller UMPCs out there, but they're a nigh-on impossible pain to use, and most of them run custom-built Linux distributions that can make simple tasks a chore. The UMID mbook doesn't sacrifice much for its size—it's Atom-powered, runs XP, has a full keyboard and even a webcam—it's just scaled down. How far? Well, that screen you see there, that's 4.3 inches.<br clear="all" /></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalue10 of the World's Smallest Gadgetsbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190768/10-of-the-worlds-smallest-gadgetsrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190768/10-of-the-worlds-smallest-gadgetsupdatedTue, 31 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDTupdated_timeTue Mar 31 16:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200933116001900titleiPhone Next Generation: The Most Probable Evolutionwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5191481&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermconceptschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiphone 3gschemelabeltermiphone 4gschemelabeltermiPhone next generationschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/iphone-next.jpg" height="495" width="804" />I drooled at the idea of an <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5119445/the-dream-iphone-pro">iPhone Pro with slide keyboard and big honkin' camera</a>, but let's face it: It's probably never going to happen. So—using logic—what will the next iPhone look like?</p> <p>Probably something like this: A flatter, even more tapered and slender version of the current one. After all, if you have a winning formula, why radically change it?</p> <p>Matt says that he would be disappointed if it ends being something like this, just a version of the current model. I'm going to be pessimist and expect just an evolution of the current design. The market keeps growing with what they have now, so it won't make sense for them to go through a radical design change just yet. And besides this point, there are at least three generations of smooth evolution and tweaks in Apple hardware designs until something completely new comes along (witness the iMacs, for example.)</p> <p>Not that it really matters: As long as they include a bigger camera sensor while reducing the thickness to iPod touch levels, I'd be happy. But who knows, perhaps there will be a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5119445/the-dream-iphone-pro">radical departure</a>. What do you think? Do you have any original idea? Send it to us. [<a href="http://www.dotdosh.com/main/is-this-the-next-iphone-photo">Dotdosh</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJesus Diazidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5191481guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/iphone-next.jpg" height="495" width="804" />I drooled at the idea of an <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5119445/the-dream-iphone-pro">iPhone Pro with slide keyboard and big honkin' camera</a>, but let's face it: It's probably never going to happen. So—using logic—what will the next iPhone look like?</p> <p>Probably something like this: A flatter, even more tapered and slender version of the current one. After all, if you have a winning formula, why radically change it?</p> <p>Matt says that he would be disappointed if it ends being something like this, just a version of the current model. I'm going to be pessimist and expect just an evolution of the current design. The market keeps growing with what they have now, so it won't make sense for them to go through a radical design change just yet. And besides this point, there are at least three generations of smooth evolution and tweaks in Apple hardware designs until something completely new comes along (witness the iMacs, for example.)</p> <p>Not that it really matters: As long as they include a bigger camera sensor while reducing the thickness to iPod touch levels, I'd be happy. But who knows, perhaps there will be a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5119445/the-dream-iphone-pro">radical departure</a>. What do you think? Do you have any original idea? Send it to us. [<a href="http://www.dotdosh.com/main/is-this-the-next-iphone-photo">Dotdosh</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueiPhone Next Generation: The Most Probable Evolutionbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5191481/iphone-next-generation-the-most-probable-evolutionrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5191481/iphone-next-generation-the-most-probable-evolutionupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 23:40:27 EDTupdated_timeTue Mar 31 03:40:27 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009331340271900titleWhat Owning These 15 Gadgets Says About Youwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190434&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermgadget psychologyschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermgadgetsschemelabeltermpsychologyschemelabeltermroundupsschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/gadget-psychology.jpg" height="538" width="804" />You probably haven't thought about it before, but the gadgets you own can provide deep insights into who you are as a person. That is especially true if you own one of these gadgets.</p> <p></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorSean Fallonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5190434guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/gadget-psychology.jpg" height="538" width="804" />You probably haven't thought about it before, but the gadgets you own can provide deep insights into who you are as a person. That is especially true if you own one of these gadgets.</p> <p></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWhat Owning These 15 Gadgets Says About Youbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190434/what-owning-these-15-gadgets-says-about-yourelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190434/what-owning-these-15-gadgets-says-about-youupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 30 20:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200933020000890titleSomeone Found Microsoft's Lauren! And She's an Actresswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190861&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermadvertisingschemelabeltermadsschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermhpschemelabeltermlaptopsschemelabeltermlaurenschemelabeltermlauren de longschemelabeltermmicrosoftschemelabeltermmicrosoft laurenschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/LaurenDeLong-1a.jpg" height="750" width="498" />We were hoping to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you">catch up with</a> Microsoft's "Lauren," a regular gal who Microsoft <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5186672/microsoft-marketing-team-now-exclusively-advised-by-internet-commenters-but-it-works">surprised with $1,000</a> to buy a laptop...in a national commercial. And it ends up she's an LA-based, SAG-eligible actress. <strong>UPDATE</strong></p> <p>Tracked down by <a href="http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Next_up_for_Microsofts_real-life_Windows_star_7-Eleven_ads.html">TechFlash</a>, "Lauren" (who is really <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/lauren-de-long/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged LAUREN DE LONG">Lauren De Long</a>) says on her site "[she] booked what she thought was a "Market and Research" job regarding laptops. But that's not all she booked...actually Lauren found out they were shooting a national commercial! Tears, laughter and excitement greeted this new development."</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/03/26/pc-to-mac-im-cheaper/">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported that the Microsoft test group had been assembled from "recruited prospective computer shoppers." Shoppers are distinctly different from people looking for jobs. Regardless-</p> <p>Reading through De Long's resume, you find that her "special skills" include Cheerleading, Ear Prompter, Hula Hoop, and Stage Combat. So wait, she's an actress AND a cheerleader AND a stage combatant, but she's STILL not cool enough to use a Mac? No way. We just don't buy it.</p> <p>We were unable to reach Lauren De Long, but we did leave her a message mentioning one of our readers' offers to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you">give her a free 17-inch Apple PowerBook</a>. When site TechFlash called, apparently De Long said she had signed an NDA restricting her from speaking about her experiences with the HP laptop.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE</strong>: Lauren De Long just returned our call. She said, "Thanks for tracking me down and everything...I'm humbled and honored by all the attention, but I'm trying to gracefully turn down any interviews." She then confirmed that an NDA sealed her from talking about anything pertaining to the commercial (which means that our own <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you">Mitch</a> is out of luck—Lauren can't do any sort of Mac vs. HP value comparison). But we have good news, Mitch. A number of our readers wrote in letting us know that they'd be happy to take the laptop off your hands! [<a href="http://laurendelong.com/">Lauren's Site</a> and <a href="http://laurendelong.nowcasting.com/">Lauren's Bio</a> via <a href="http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Next_up_for_Microsofts_real-life_Windows_star_7-Eleven_ads.html">TechFlash</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorMark Wilsonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5190861guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/LaurenDeLong-1a.jpg" height="750" width="498" />We were hoping to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you">catch up with</a> Microsoft's "Lauren," a regular gal who Microsoft <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5186672/microsoft-marketing-team-now-exclusively-advised-by-internet-commenters-but-it-works">surprised with $1,000</a> to buy a laptop...in a national commercial. And it ends up she's an LA-based, SAG-eligible actress. <strong>UPDATE</strong></p> <p>Tracked down by <a href="http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Next_up_for_Microsofts_real-life_Windows_star_7-Eleven_ads.html">TechFlash</a>, "Lauren" (who is really <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/lauren-de-long/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged LAUREN DE LONG">Lauren De Long</a>) says on her site "[she] booked what she thought was a "Market and Research" job regarding laptops. But that's not all she booked...actually Lauren found out they were shooting a national commercial! Tears, laughter and excitement greeted this new development."</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/03/26/pc-to-mac-im-cheaper/">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported that the Microsoft test group had been assembled from "recruited prospective computer shoppers." Shoppers are distinctly different from people looking for jobs. Regardless-</p> <p>Reading through De Long's resume, you find that her "special skills" include Cheerleading, Ear Prompter, Hula Hoop, and Stage Combat. So wait, she's an actress AND a cheerleader AND a stage combatant, but she's STILL not cool enough to use a Mac? No way. We just don't buy it.</p> <p>We were unable to reach Lauren De Long, but we did leave her a message mentioning one of our readers' offers to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you">give her a free 17-inch Apple PowerBook</a>. When site TechFlash called, apparently De Long said she had signed an NDA restricting her from speaking about her experiences with the HP laptop.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE</strong>: Lauren De Long just returned our call. She said, "Thanks for tracking me down and everything...I'm humbled and honored by all the attention, but I'm trying to gracefully turn down any interviews." She then confirmed that an NDA sealed her from talking about anything pertaining to the commercial (which means that our own <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you">Mitch</a> is out of luck—Lauren can't do any sort of Mac vs. HP value comparison). But we have good news, Mitch. A number of our readers wrote in letting us know that they'd be happy to take the laptop off your hands! [<a href="http://laurendelong.com/">Lauren's Site</a> and <a href="http://laurendelong.nowcasting.com/">Lauren's Bio</a> via <a href="http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Next_up_for_Microsofts_real-life_Windows_star_7-Eleven_ads.html">TechFlash</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueSomeone Found Microsoft's Lauren! And She's an Actressbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190861/someone-found-microsofts-lauren-and-shes-an-actressrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190861/someone-found-microsofts-lauren-and-shes-an-actressupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 15:10:04 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 30 19:10:04 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009330191040890titleUltimate Battle: The Snuggie vs. Slanket vs. Freedom Blanket vs. Blankoatwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190557&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermbattlemodoschemelabeltermblanketschemelabeltermblanket with sleevesschemelabeltermblankoatschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermfreedom blanketschemelabeltermslanketschemelabeltermsleeve blanketschemelabeltermsleevesschemelabeltermsnuggieschemelabeltermsnuggie battleschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/battlemodo2wtmk.jpg" height="622" width="804" />The Slanket, the Snuggie, the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/freedom-blanket/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged FREEDOM BLANKET">Freedom Blanket</a> or the supremely expensive and extravagant Blankoat? This is the most important question of the millennium. You're about to know the answer.</p> <p>Those who <i>haven't</i> seen the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xZp-GLMMJ0">Snuggie ad</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h05ZQ7WHw8Y&feature=related">one of its many parodies</a> and aren't aware of the blanket-with-sleeves phenomenon get no sympathy from us. Unless, you've just awoken from an eight-month coma, in which case: Welcome back! To recap, the Snuggie is the most famous and widely marketed of the many blanket-with-sleeves. The Freedom Blanket originated the idea, the Slanket followed up, and recently, the Blankoat decided to take it into a ridiculous dimension.</p> <p>But which is the best for you? We tried each of them the way they were meant to be worn: on the sofa, lying down, with one fist buried in a bag of Doritos and the other cradling a bottle of beer. We gained thirty-five pounds, but it was so worth it.</p> <p>And for those of you who think that the whole blanket-with-sleeves product could just as easily be accomplished with a robe worn backwards? We tested that too.</p> <p></p> <p><b>Snuggie</b> ($15): Don't buy this. Having the most ironic value contributes nothing to the final product when it's constructed out of material that's one step up from a papery hospital gown. Not only are the sleeves too cramped, the bottom part—the part that keeps your feet warm when you're lying down—isn't long enough for anyone of a decent height. I'm only 5' 10", and I have to bend my knees to keep all of my body covered. Bend them! This body wasn't constructed for that.</p> <p>The Snuggie is also the most static-prone of all the blankets, and comes in such neon colors that surely are not found in nature. There's a reason why this is the cheapest of the bunch, which means you should only consider this if you have a plus-sized dog you want to dress up as a radioactive Superman. Krypto, if you will. Nobody else should buy it.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />At $15, it's the cheapest<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Can be conveniently found at many lousy stores<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" />Generates a lot of static when being taken off<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus2.jpg" />Thin, papery material<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus2.jpg" />Too short for most people<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p><b>Slanket</b> ($38): The most expensive of the major three, the Slanket is where you turn when you want to make sure you get the best for your blanket money. It's 60 inches x 95 inches, so it's long enough even for people over 6 feet, and is made out of polyester microfibers, so it's soft and thick. Essentially, it's everything the Snuggie is not.</p> <p>When someone asks why a regular blanket won't do, the Slanket is the answer. The sleeves are wizardy enough to keep you warm and allow enough space for maneuverability (gaming is the most prominent example). It has the most variety of colors choices—11 at my count—and is an example of the concept done right. If you're serious about staying warm while also keeping your hands one extra layer of material away from being able to fondle your genitals, this is it. [<a href="http://www.theslanket.com/index.php?path=the_product">Slanket</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/05/gizplusplus.jpg" />Very comfortable, very long, very usable<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />Comes in a wide variety of couch-matching colors<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Most expensive of the 3 normal ones<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Still generates a little static when removed<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p><b>Freedom Blanket</b> ($30): The <i>original</i> <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/blanket-with-sleeves/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged BLANKET WITH SLEEVES">blanket with sleeves</a> has become, unfortunately, lost between the media blitz of the Snuggie and the web-presence of the Slanket. But it shouldn't be. The price, $30, reflects exactly how the Freedom Blanket performs: somewhere in-between the Snuggie and the Slanket.</p> <p>The Freedom Blanket isn't quite as comfortable as the Slanket, but comparing it to the Snuggie would be like comparing rubbing your face with a cotton towel to rubbing your face with Joaquin Phoenix's beard. At 72 inches, it's also longer than the Snuggie, but still falls slightly short of the Slanket's 95 inches. And that's pretty much the whole story.</p> <p>If you don't want a piece of crap like the Snuggie but can't get over the fact that you're paying a couple Hamiltons for a blanket with sleeves, the Freedom Blanket is a good compromise. Plus, you'll sleep well knowing that you're supporting the people who actually invented the idea instead of someone who knows how to copy very well. [<a href="https://www.freedomblanket.com/">Freedom Blanket</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />More comfortable than the Snuggie<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />Not quite as expensive as the Slanket<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Also generates spouse-shocking static when removed<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" />Slightly too short for tall people<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><b>Sruli Recht Blankoat</b> ($330): The Blankoat is to the other three blankets as getting a full service massage is to setting your showerhead into massage mode. They may sound similar, but it's an entirely alien concept. If you have enough money to spend $330 on a gigantic 120-inch long blanket made out of wool from Icelandic sheep, you have enough money to run your heater and walk around in your underwear instead.</p> <p>You know how wool sweaters are itchy? This is a wool sweater for your entire body. If you like wool, great—this will keep you very, very warm. If you don't, wearing this while watching an episode of <i>America's Next Top Model</i> is like an hour enduring Gitmo's mildest torture session.</p> <p>But if your question is whether or not the Blankoat does its job, the answer is yes. With this much material, you can wrap yourself entirely inside the thing—including your head—with only a small hole left for your face. Having actually never lived in Iceland, or Boston, or anywhere where you actually have to physically <em>move snow away so you can travel</em>, I can't say whether the Blankoat would be worth the money in those situations. I imagine it would. But you're still paying $330, which is <em>John Mayer money</em>. [<a href="http://www.srulirecht.com/index.php/projects/Blankoat.html">Blankoat</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />Provides the most coverage of all the solutions<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Wool is scratchy<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus2.jpg" />It's $330!!<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p><b>A Bathrobe</b> ($42 or cheaper): You may already have one of these. You may also wonder why you can't just turn one backwards and be done with it. Two reasons. One, no robe is long enough to cover your feet. People don't enjoy falling down repeatedly when going for a drink of water. Two, the sleeves aren't long enough to provide adequate coverage like all of the above options (save for the Snuggie). [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pinzon-Bamboo-Cotton-Large-Bath/dp/B000OMRY0I/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1238392758&sr=8-13">Low-priced bathrobe on Amazon</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />You may already own one, in which case it's free<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" />Doesn't cover your feet when lying down, doesn't cover your arms adequately<br clear="all" /></p> <p>Here's what you should take away. Get the Slanket if you're serious about staying warm while lying on your couch, the Freedom Blanket if you're not. <strong>Nobody anywhere</strong> should buy the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2009/03/29/LVTI16LG23.DTL&o=1">Snuggie</a>. The Blankoat is for rich people who can afford Icelandic wool. Bathrobes do not work, no matter how much you wish them to.</p> <p>Thank you, Snuggie, for raising blanket-with-sleeves awareness. Now get out.</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJason Chenidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5190557guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/battlemodo2wtmk.jpg" height="622" width="804" />The Slanket, the Snuggie, the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/freedom-blanket/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged FREEDOM BLANKET">Freedom Blanket</a> or the supremely expensive and extravagant Blankoat? This is the most important question of the millennium. You're about to know the answer.</p> <p>Those who <i>haven't</i> seen the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xZp-GLMMJ0">Snuggie ad</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h05ZQ7WHw8Y&feature=related">one of its many parodies</a> and aren't aware of the blanket-with-sleeves phenomenon get no sympathy from us. Unless, you've just awoken from an eight-month coma, in which case: Welcome back! To recap, the Snuggie is the most famous and widely marketed of the many blanket-with-sleeves. The Freedom Blanket originated the idea, the Slanket followed up, and recently, the Blankoat decided to take it into a ridiculous dimension.</p> <p>But which is the best for you? We tried each of them the way they were meant to be worn: on the sofa, lying down, with one fist buried in a bag of Doritos and the other cradling a bottle of beer. We gained thirty-five pounds, but it was so worth it.</p> <p>And for those of you who think that the whole blanket-with-sleeves product could just as easily be accomplished with a robe worn backwards? We tested that too.</p> <p></p> <p><b>Snuggie</b> ($15): Don't buy this. Having the most ironic value contributes nothing to the final product when it's constructed out of material that's one step up from a papery hospital gown. Not only are the sleeves too cramped, the bottom part—the part that keeps your feet warm when you're lying down—isn't long enough for anyone of a decent height. I'm only 5' 10", and I have to bend my knees to keep all of my body covered. Bend them! This body wasn't constructed for that.</p> <p>The Snuggie is also the most static-prone of all the blankets, and comes in such neon colors that surely are not found in nature. There's a reason why this is the cheapest of the bunch, which means you should only consider this if you have a plus-sized dog you want to dress up as a radioactive Superman. Krypto, if you will. Nobody else should buy it.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />At $15, it's the cheapest<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Can be conveniently found at many lousy stores<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" />Generates a lot of static when being taken off<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus2.jpg" />Thin, papery material<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus2.jpg" />Too short for most people<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p><b>Slanket</b> ($38): The most expensive of the major three, the Slanket is where you turn when you want to make sure you get the best for your blanket money. It's 60 inches x 95 inches, so it's long enough even for people over 6 feet, and is made out of polyester microfibers, so it's soft and thick. Essentially, it's everything the Snuggie is not.</p> <p>When someone asks why a regular blanket won't do, the Slanket is the answer. The sleeves are wizardy enough to keep you warm and allow enough space for maneuverability (gaming is the most prominent example). It has the most variety of colors choices—11 at my count—and is an example of the concept done right. If you're serious about staying warm while also keeping your hands one extra layer of material away from being able to fondle your genitals, this is it. [<a href="http://www.theslanket.com/index.php?path=the_product">Slanket</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/05/gizplusplus.jpg" />Very comfortable, very long, very usable<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />Comes in a wide variety of couch-matching colors<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Most expensive of the 3 normal ones<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Still generates a little static when removed<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p><b>Freedom Blanket</b> ($30): The <i>original</i> <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/blanket-with-sleeves/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged BLANKET WITH SLEEVES">blanket with sleeves</a> has become, unfortunately, lost between the media blitz of the Snuggie and the web-presence of the Slanket. But it shouldn't be. The price, $30, reflects exactly how the Freedom Blanket performs: somewhere in-between the Snuggie and the Slanket.</p> <p>The Freedom Blanket isn't quite as comfortable as the Slanket, but comparing it to the Snuggie would be like comparing rubbing your face with a cotton towel to rubbing your face with Joaquin Phoenix's beard. At 72 inches, it's also longer than the Snuggie, but still falls slightly short of the Slanket's 95 inches. And that's pretty much the whole story.</p> <p>If you don't want a piece of crap like the Snuggie but can't get over the fact that you're paying a couple Hamiltons for a blanket with sleeves, the Freedom Blanket is a good compromise. Plus, you'll sleep well knowing that you're supporting the people who actually invented the idea instead of someone who knows how to copy very well. [<a href="https://www.freedomblanket.com/">Freedom Blanket</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />More comfortable than the Snuggie<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />Not quite as expensive as the Slanket<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Also generates spouse-shocking static when removed<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" />Slightly too short for tall people<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><b>Sruli Recht Blankoat</b> ($330): The Blankoat is to the other three blankets as getting a full service massage is to setting your showerhead into massage mode. They may sound similar, but it's an entirely alien concept. If you have enough money to spend $330 on a gigantic 120-inch long blanket made out of wool from Icelandic sheep, you have enough money to run your heater and walk around in your underwear instead.</p> <p>You know how wool sweaters are itchy? This is a wool sweater for your entire body. If you like wool, great—this will keep you very, very warm. If you don't, wearing this while watching an episode of <i>America's Next Top Model</i> is like an hour enduring Gitmo's mildest torture session.</p> <p>But if your question is whether or not the Blankoat does its job, the answer is yes. With this much material, you can wrap yourself entirely inside the thing—including your head—with only a small hole left for your face. Having actually never lived in Iceland, or Boston, or anywhere where you actually have to physically <em>move snow away so you can travel</em>, I can't say whether the Blankoat would be worth the money in those situations. I imagine it would. But you're still paying $330, which is <em>John Mayer money</em>. [<a href="http://www.srulirecht.com/index.php/projects/Blankoat.html">Blankoat</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />Provides the most coverage of all the solutions<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" />Wool is scratchy<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus2.jpg" />It's $330!!<br clear="all" /></p> <p></p> <p><b>A Bathrobe</b> ($42 or cheaper): You may already have one of these. You may also wonder why you can't just turn one backwards and be done with it. Two reasons. One, no robe is long enough to cover your feet. People don't enjoy falling down repeatedly when going for a drink of water. Two, the sleeves aren't long enough to provide adequate coverage like all of the above options (save for the Snuggie). [<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pinzon-Bamboo-Cotton-Large-Bath/dp/B000OMRY0I/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1238392758&sr=8-13">Low-priced bathrobe on Amazon</a>]</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" />You may already own one, in which case it's free<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" />Doesn't cover your feet when lying down, doesn't cover your arms adequately<br clear="all" /></p> <p>Here's what you should take away. Get the Slanket if you're serious about staying warm while lying on your couch, the Freedom Blanket if you're not. <strong>Nobody anywhere</strong> should buy the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2009/03/29/LVTI16LG23.DTL&o=1">Snuggie</a>. The Blankoat is for rich people who can afford Icelandic wool. Bathrobes do not work, no matter how much you wish them to.</p> <p>Thank you, Snuggie, for raising blanket-with-sleeves awareness. Now get out.</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueUltimate Battle: The Snuggie vs. Slanket vs. Freedom Blanket vs. Blankoatbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190557/ultimate-battle-the-snuggie-vs-slanket-vs-freedom-blanket-vs-blankoatrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190557/ultimate-battle-the-snuggie-vs-slanket-vs-freedom-blanket-vs-blankoatupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 30 17:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200933017000890titleCanon Adopting dSLR Chips for a New Pro Camcorder?wfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190397&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermrumorschemelabeltermcanonschemelabeltermcanon camcordersschemelabeltermccdschemelabeltermcmosschemelabeltermdslrschemelabeltermeosschemelabeltermrebelschemelabeltermslrschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermxl-h1schemelabeltermxlh1schemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/xlh1soblique.jpg" height="330" width="500" />There's a rumor afoot suggesting that Canon will be <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/03/new-video-camera-system/">ditching CCD</a> and adopting CMOS chips for a new pro-level camcorder. Digital cameras and camcorders never been so indistinguishable.</p> <p>If the rumor is true, Canon will be adopting sub-35mm dSLR sensors (APS-C sized CMOS, or what you see in entry level dSLRs <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5182772/canon-rebel-t1i-hands+on-50ds-sensor-1080p-vids-899-">like the Rebel</a>) into their elite camcorders. It's not a completely new idea. The Red One has long used a CMOS chip to record 4k video, and Canon makes use of a CMOS in the $1000ish <a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=17992#ModelTechSpecsAct">Vixia</a>. But with Canon choosing <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/383170/giz-explains-digital-camera-image-sensors">CMOS</a> for a pro-level camcorder, it pretty much means that CCD (the preferred video chip format of the last several decades) is dead. (Once we saw <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5050819/canon-5d-mark-iis-full-hd-video-is-so-stunning-our-eyes-explode">dSLRs shooting 1080p</a>, we knew this day wasn't far off.) As for the mystery cam itself:</p> <p>The sub-$8,000 camcorder is said to resemble the XL-H1 (above), accepting EOS lenses and featuring a 12.1MP <em>CMOS</em> that can film 1080p video at 60fps/120hz—that's MPEG4 encoded at a max rate of 56Mbps. We're not sure how the camera will record this much data though the Red One offers CompactFlash, RAID and SSD options. There's also word of a 12bit video RAW format that will require a $4,000ish IO box providing SDI and USB 3 output.</p> <p>And for the first time in some time, Canon's prosumer camcorders are exciting again. [<a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/03/new-video-camera-system/">canonrumors</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorMark Wilsonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5190397guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/xlh1soblique.jpg" height="330" width="500" />There's a rumor afoot suggesting that Canon will be <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/03/new-video-camera-system/">ditching CCD</a> and adopting CMOS chips for a new pro-level camcorder. Digital cameras and camcorders never been so indistinguishable.</p> <p>If the rumor is true, Canon will be adopting sub-35mm dSLR sensors (APS-C sized CMOS, or what you see in entry level dSLRs <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5182772/canon-rebel-t1i-hands+on-50ds-sensor-1080p-vids-899-">like the Rebel</a>) into their elite camcorders. It's not a completely new idea. The Red One has long used a CMOS chip to record 4k video, and Canon makes use of a CMOS in the $1000ish <a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=17992#ModelTechSpecsAct">Vixia</a>. But with Canon choosing <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/383170/giz-explains-digital-camera-image-sensors">CMOS</a> for a pro-level camcorder, it pretty much means that CCD (the preferred video chip format of the last several decades) is dead. (Once we saw <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5050819/canon-5d-mark-iis-full-hd-video-is-so-stunning-our-eyes-explode">dSLRs shooting 1080p</a>, we knew this day wasn't far off.) As for the mystery cam itself:</p> <p>The sub-$8,000 camcorder is said to resemble the XL-H1 (above), accepting EOS lenses and featuring a 12.1MP <em>CMOS</em> that can film 1080p video at 60fps/120hz—that's MPEG4 encoded at a max rate of 56Mbps. We're not sure how the camera will record this much data though the Red One offers CompactFlash, RAID and SSD options. There's also word of a 12bit video RAW format that will require a $4,000ish IO box providing SDI and USB 3 output.</p> <p>And for the first time in some time, Canon's prosumer camcorders are exciting again. [<a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/03/new-video-camera-system/">canonrumors</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueCanon Adopting dSLR Chips for a New Pro Camcorder?basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190397/canon-adopting-dslr-chips-for-a-new-pro-camcorderrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190397/canon-adopting-dslr-chips-for-a-new-pro-camcorderupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 30 15:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200933015000890titleSkype Coming to iPhone Tuesday, BlackBerry in Maywfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190080&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermskypeschemelabeltermapp storeschemelabeltermblackberryschemelabeltermctiaschemelabeltermctia 2009schemelabeltermfringschemelabeltermiphone appsschemelabeltermiphone voipschemelabeltermskype blackberry appschemelabeltermskype for blackberryschemelabeltermskype for iphoneschemelabeltermskype iphone appschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermvoipschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/skypeiphone.jpg" height="404" width="807" />Landing a day earlier than <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185636/rumor-skype-for-iphone-to-be-released-as-early-as-next-week">predicted</a>, Skype's official iPhone client will show its green 'n' white face in the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-store/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged APP STORE">App Store</a> <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10206786-2.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Webware">tomorrow</a>. The other conspicuously neglected market, BlackBerry owners, can <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/technology/internet/30skype.html?_r=1&ref=technology">expect a client by May</a>.</p> <p>The iPhone client feature set is more or less what we've come to expect from Skype mobile apps: free Skype-to-Skype calls, SkypeOut support, pretty interface integration (they went with the iPhone aesthetic over the Skype desktop aesthetic, thankfully) and instant messaging to other users. You can even snap a profile picture from within the app. The app will also support 2G iPod Touches with external mics.</p> <p>But! For those of you who held onto the vain hope that an official client might be able to somehow skirt the universal App Store ban on voice over IP over 3G (VoIPo3G?), forget it—you won't be able to Skype unless you're connected to a wireless network, and text messaging has been entirely excluded. You can't even top up your SkypeOut account or purchase other services like voicemail, which, by the way, can't be accessed from the app.</p> <p>Not to poop on Skype's party, but this announcement leaves me with questions—specifically, <em>why should I download this</em>? Third party apps like <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/fring">Fring</a> picked up Skype's slack a long time ago, and lump in multiprotocol IMing, something which gives them a distinct advantage over this official client on the one-app-at-a-time-please iPhone. Skype told CNET that their app will have better voice quality (and probably lower latency), but aside from that was unable to offer many significant advantages over other apps. [<a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10206786-2.html">CNET</a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/technology/internet/30skype.html?_r=1&ref=technology">NYT</a> —<em>Images from <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10206786-2.html">CNET</a></em>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Herrmanidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5190080guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/skypeiphone.jpg" height="404" width="807" />Landing a day earlier than <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185636/rumor-skype-for-iphone-to-be-released-as-early-as-next-week">predicted</a>, Skype's official iPhone client will show its green 'n' white face in the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-store/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged APP STORE">App Store</a> <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10206786-2.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Webware">tomorrow</a>. The other conspicuously neglected market, BlackBerry owners, can <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/technology/internet/30skype.html?_r=1&ref=technology">expect a client by May</a>.</p> <p>The iPhone client feature set is more or less what we've come to expect from Skype mobile apps: free Skype-to-Skype calls, SkypeOut support, pretty interface integration (they went with the iPhone aesthetic over the Skype desktop aesthetic, thankfully) and instant messaging to other users. You can even snap a profile picture from within the app. The app will also support 2G iPod Touches with external mics.</p> <p>But! For those of you who held onto the vain hope that an official client might be able to somehow skirt the universal App Store ban on voice over IP over 3G (VoIPo3G?), forget it—you won't be able to Skype unless you're connected to a wireless network, and text messaging has been entirely excluded. You can't even top up your SkypeOut account or purchase other services like voicemail, which, by the way, can't be accessed from the app.</p> <p>Not to poop on Skype's party, but this announcement leaves me with questions—specifically, <em>why should I download this</em>? Third party apps like <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/fring">Fring</a> picked up Skype's slack a long time ago, and lump in multiprotocol IMing, something which gives them a distinct advantage over this official client on the one-app-at-a-time-please iPhone. Skype told CNET that their app will have better voice quality (and probably lower latency), but aside from that was unable to offer many significant advantages over other apps. [<a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10206786-2.html">CNET</a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/technology/internet/30skype.html?_r=1&ref=technology">NYT</a> —<em>Images from <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10206786-2.html">CNET</a></em>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueSkype Coming to iPhone Tuesday, BlackBerry in Maybasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190080/skype-coming-to-iphone-tuesday-blackberry-in-mayrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5190080/skype-coming-to-iphone-tuesday-blackberry-in-mayupdatedMon, 30 Mar 2009 05:20:06 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 30 09:20:06 UTC 2009updated_parsed200933092060890titleThe Perfect MacBook Mini: Leak, Concept, or Fake, We Love It Anywaywfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5189531&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermappleschemelabeltermconceptschemelabeltermcoolschemelabeltermfakeschemelabeltermmacbook minischemelabeltermrumorschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238361479213_attachment_1_-1_01.jpg" height="732" width="804" />I don't know what this is and I don't care. It may be a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/macbook-mini/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged MACBOOK MINI">MacBook Mini</a> concept. Or a crazy leak. Or just a perfect fake. Whatever. It's beautiful. I want. <b>[Updated with pictures]</b>.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238361629158_Picture_2_06.png" height="701" width="504" />According to a 9to5 reader, this perfect rendering, photoshop, or whatever the hell it is came inside a Russian magazine. My knowledge of Russian doesn't go beyond "hey, wanna dance?", "cheers," and "you have beautiful blue eyes, let's go back to mine" so I don't have a clue about what this page is saying. If you speak the language of Dostoyevsky, drop me a line because I want to know.</p> <p>Whatever they claim it is, I don't care. It just looks too good and perfect to be true—which is why I want it to be real: It's exactly as I can imagine it will be. And with the perfect, dream technical specs to boot:</p> <p>• 10.4" WXGA display.<br /> • 1280 x 768 pixel with LED backlighting.<br /> • NVIDIA MCP79<br /> • Intel Atom Z740 1.83GHz with 1MB L2 cache.<br /> • 2GB DDR3-800.<br /> • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M<br /> • 64GB Solid State Drive.<br /> • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n<br /> • 1 x USB 2.0<br /> • 1 x Mini Display Port<br /> • Battery Li-Ion 5100mA</p> <p>Update: Added comparison shot with a Mac Book Air</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238386016920_Picture-8.jpg" height="304" width="804" /></p> <p>According to them, it will come sometime in 2009 for $899. You know, delivered to your door by ten flying Russian mail order brides, all of them virgin. Or something like that. [<a href="http://9to5mac.com/new-macbook-air">9to5</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJesus Diazidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5189531guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238361479213_attachment_1_-1_01.jpg" height="732" width="804" />I don't know what this is and I don't care. It may be a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/macbook-mini/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged MACBOOK MINI">MacBook Mini</a> concept. Or a crazy leak. Or just a perfect fake. Whatever. It's beautiful. I want. <b>[Updated with pictures]</b>.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238361629158_Picture_2_06.png" height="701" width="504" />According to a 9to5 reader, this perfect rendering, photoshop, or whatever the hell it is came inside a Russian magazine. My knowledge of Russian doesn't go beyond "hey, wanna dance?", "cheers," and "you have beautiful blue eyes, let's go back to mine" so I don't have a clue about what this page is saying. If you speak the language of Dostoyevsky, drop me a line because I want to know.</p> <p>Whatever they claim it is, I don't care. It just looks too good and perfect to be true—which is why I want it to be real: It's exactly as I can imagine it will be. And with the perfect, dream technical specs to boot:</p> <p>• 10.4" WXGA display.<br /> • 1280 x 768 pixel with LED backlighting.<br /> • NVIDIA MCP79<br /> • Intel Atom Z740 1.83GHz with 1MB L2 cache.<br /> • 2GB DDR3-800.<br /> • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M<br /> • 64GB Solid State Drive.<br /> • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n<br /> • 1 x USB 2.0<br /> • 1 x Mini Display Port<br /> • Battery Li-Ion 5100mA</p> <p>Update: Added comparison shot with a Mac Book Air</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238386016920_Picture-8.jpg" height="304" width="804" /></p> <p>According to them, it will come sometime in 2009 for $899. You know, delivered to your door by ten flying Russian mail order brides, all of them virgin. Or something like that. [<a href="http://9to5mac.com/new-macbook-air">9to5</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe Perfect MacBook Mini: Leak, Concept, or Fake, We Love It Anywaybasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5189531/the-perfect-macbook-mini-leak-concept-or-fake-we-love-it-anywayrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5189531/the-perfect-macbook-mini-leak-concept-or-fake-we-love-it-anywayupdatedSun, 29 Mar 2009 17:20:00 EDTupdated_timeSun Mar 29 21:20:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009329212006880titleEarth Hour: Turn Off Your Gadgets and Do <i>Things</i> in the Darkwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5188493&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermgreenschemelabeltermearth hourschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/sex-in-the-dark.jpg" height="300" width="300" />My <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-things-to-do-in-the-dark.html">dear friend—and tree-huggin' hippie—Robyn</a> reminds me that tonight is <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/earth-hour/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged EARTH HOUR">Earth Hour</a>. It may seem silly, but turning off all your electrical devices is a nice gesture. If only to do <i>many</i> other things, like:</p> <p>• Make love (with yourself counts too). And if you need light, make your partner wear glow-in-the-dark neon lingerie or use something romantic. Like candles. Or an emergency light. Or flares. I don't know. <i>Something</i>.</p> <p>And... and that's about it, really.</p> <p>Robyn has six other very good suggestions, like gazing at the stars—since it'll be darker in the cities, you will be able to see more and maybe the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185961/timeline-the-evolution-of-the-international-space-station">International Space Station</a>—or enjoy dinner with candles. But after the first one, who cares. It's only <i>one</i> hour. Unless you want to make love while gazing at the stars and practice some <i>sploshing</i> at the same time. Which, mind you, sounds like a great plan.</p> <p>So go and read the rest before turning off your computer and wireless router tonight at 8:30PM local time. [<a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-things-to-do-in-the-dark.html">7 Things to do in the Dark</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJesus Diazidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5188493guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/sex-in-the-dark.jpg" height="300" width="300" />My <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-things-to-do-in-the-dark.html">dear friend—and tree-huggin' hippie—Robyn</a> reminds me that tonight is <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/earth-hour/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged EARTH HOUR">Earth Hour</a>. It may seem silly, but turning off all your electrical devices is a nice gesture. If only to do <i>many</i> other things, like:</p> <p>• Make love (with yourself counts too). And if you need light, make your partner wear glow-in-the-dark neon lingerie or use something romantic. Like candles. Or an emergency light. Or flares. I don't know. <i>Something</i>.</p> <p>And... and that's about it, really.</p> <p>Robyn has six other very good suggestions, like gazing at the stars—since it'll be darker in the cities, you will be able to see more and maybe the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185961/timeline-the-evolution-of-the-international-space-station">International Space Station</a>—or enjoy dinner with candles. But after the first one, who cares. It's only <i>one</i> hour. Unless you want to make love while gazing at the stars and practice some <i>sploshing</i> at the same time. Which, mind you, sounds like a great plan.</p> <p>So go and read the rest before turning off your computer and wireless router tonight at 8:30PM local time. [<a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-things-to-do-in-the-dark.html">7 Things to do in the Dark</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueEarth Hour: Turn Off Your Gadgets and Do <i>Things</i> in the Darkbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5188493/earth-hour-turn-off-your-gadgets-and-do-things-in-the-darkrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5188493/earth-hour-turn-off-your-gadgets-and-do-things-in-the-darkupdatedSat, 28 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EDTupdated_timeSat Mar 28 19:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932819005870titleHow To: Use BitTorrent Like a Prowfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5187630&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermhow toschemelabeltermbittorrentschemelabeltermbittorrent guideschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermguideschemelabeltermguidesschemelabeltermhow-toschemelabeltermpiracyschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermtorrentschemelabeltermtorrentingschemelabeltermtorrentsschemelabeltermutorrentschemelabeltermvuzeschemelabeltermµtorrentschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/porntorrent.jpg" />Even if you've been casually Torrenting for years, BitTorrent tools keep getting better. Here's our guide for getting the most out of what is, slowly but surely, changing forever how people acquire and consume entertainments.</p> <p>This guide is intended for folks who understand the basics but may have only just started to scratch the surface of what BitTorrent clients are capable of. If you're even more hardcore than the tips here, feel free to drop some knowledge (and links!) in the comments for everyone's use. Spread the love.</p> <p>Throughout this guide we'll be using two of the most popular multi-platform BitTorrent clients, <a href="http://Vuze.com">Vuze</a> (formerly called Azureus) and <a href="http://www.utorrent.com/">µTorrent</a>. Both apps take two fundamentally different approaches: Vuze packs in just about every feature you could imagine, including a search tool, social-networking-like sharing among friends, a content guide, and much more. µTorrent on the other hand is the opposite: sleek, simple and barebones. The choice is yours.</p> <p>Lots of our pointers here will take advantages of some of Vuze's newest features, but we love µTorrent too. Where applicable, we'll highlight standalone applications that can help bring some of Vuze's integrated functionality to µTorrent fans.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238190970935_Picture_25_16-33-18.png" height="579" width="804" /><br /> <strong>Set up Your Router's NAT and Transfer Limits</strong><br /> This is, without a doubt, the single most important thing you can do to ensure the highest possible BitTorrent performance. And it's also something often overlooked by casual and even intermediate Torrenters.</p> <p>BitTorrent clients pipe all of their network traffic through a single "port" on your network. But your router likes to partially or fully block traffic that doesn't come through on all the "standard" ports (like port 80 for web traffic, for instance). So you want to make sure your computer has a clear and open channel to all that data you're going to be sucking down by setting up "port forwarding," which lets your router know to which computer on the network it should send traffic on certain ports instead of blocking it. Make sense?</p> <p>1. In your Torrent client's preferences under the "network" or "connection" heading, find out which TCP/UDP port it's using. Keep the default, but for the record, you can choose basically any number you want (but read Vuze's <a href="http://www.azureuswiki.com/index.php?title=Why_ports_like_6881_are_no_good_choice">"Good Port Choices"</a> article first) and if you have multiple machines on the same network using BitTorrent you'll want to choose unique port numbers for all of them.</p> <p>2. Now, open up your router's admin page. This is pulled up by going to your router's IP address in a web browser (commonly 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1). Sometimes you'll have to enter a username and password; Google around for your model's default name/password if you can't remember it. Users of Apple's AirPort routers should use the AirPort Utility app.</p> <p>3. Now, the terminology for what you're looking for is called different things by all the router companies. Some call it "port forwarding," others call it "virtual servers" or "port mapping"—the terminology is surprisingly varied, but it's usually listed under an "advanced settings" tab if there is one. The site <a href="http://Portforward.com">Portforwarding.com</a> can help you locate yours if you're having trouble.</p> <p>4. Once you've found where this all goes down, enter the port number from your client in step 1 for BOTH UDP and TCP fields (you'll enter the same port number for the "private" or "local" UDP/TCP fields). You'll also enter your current machine's IP address (found in Network preferences on both OS X and Windows).</p> <p><strong>Note:</strong> If your machine is a laptop and you're frequently connecting and disconnecting from the network, you'll want to set up a static local IP address so you don't have to switch your router's settings every time you Torrent.</p> <p>5. Hit save, and you should be good to go. Your BitTorrent client will have a network test built in somewhere in the preferences—use that to make sure your connection is clear.</p> <p>6. Now, the final step, is setting a limit to your uploading speeds. As you know, BitTorrent simultaneously uploads to other peers while you're downloading, and to ensure solid download speeds you must upload. But you don't want these uploads to take over your limited upload bandwidth, especially if you're on a cable connection. To be safe, cap your uploads around 20 kb/s. This is a good general ballpark that'll ensure good download speeds and won't clog your pipe. If you're on FIOS you may want to kick that up a bit, but play around.</p> <p>Vuze has a tool that can help you auto-configure your speeds too—probably worth experimenting with in the prefs.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/MPAA_watching.jpg" height="366" width="750" /><br clear="all" /> <br /> <strong>Cover Your Ass</strong><br /> All the regular disclaimers apply: don't be an idiot when you're downloading stuff you probably shouldn't. Here are some tools and strategies to make sure you keep yourself virus- and subpoena-free. But like always, no guarantees! Proceed at your own risk! Etc.</p> <p>1. <strong>Don't seed more than is absolutely necessary</strong>. The RIAA/MPAA/NARC's number one priority are heavy uploaders. Not to say that the downloading part is any less illegal, but if you stop seeding and delete your .torrent file after it's done downloading, your odds of staying safe are significantly higher.</p> <p><em><strong>Note:</strong> If your carefully crafted code of online morals compels you to continue uploading beyond the amount you shared during the download, feel free, knowing that it increases your odds of getting a friendly note from your ISP. And, please, do seed any files that are intentionally being distributed via BitTorrent, like a Linux distribution or Creative Commons licensed stuff from friends like Nine Inch Nails. You can't get hurt by that.</em></p> <p><em>You could make an argument that Torrenting is mainstream enough to survive on many thousands of people seeding very small amounts (ie: the amount uploaded while they're downloading), or you could make an argument about the double (triple? quadruple?) paradoxes that surface when contemplating the morals of consuming vis a vis sharing in the gray to grayish-black Torrent market. But I'm not your dad—what you do is up to you.</em></p> <p>2. <strong>Go for torrents with a lot of seeds and good comments.</strong> If hundreds of people are seeding a file, the odds of it being of good quality and virus free are higher. I know this may seem contradictory to point #1, but you're not in this for the geek cred. You're in this for you. So go with the herd. Also, comments on torrent sites will often have some shreds of useful info—if a lot of people report strange behavior with the downloaded file or a mysterious password lock, skip it.</p> <p>Also, seeking out the geek legends of the Torrent community will go a long way to ensure good downloads. Choose people like <a href="http://www.mininova.org/user/aXXo">aXXo</a>'s Torrents where possible.</p> <p>3. <strong><del>Use the Bluetack IP filter to keep known baddies out of your life</del></strong>. The folks at Bluetack maintain a list of IP ranges of known spammers, virus seeders, and undercover snoops like Media Defender who might bust your ass. To add the list to Vuze, go to Preferences -> IP Filgers and type in the following URL into the auto-fill field: <a href="http://www.bluetack.co.uk/config/level1.zip">http://www.bluetack.co.uk/config/level1.zip</a></p> <p><strong>Update:</strong> Someone who should know has advised us against using Bluetack for a whole litany of reasons, most shocking of which is that Bluetack is some elaborate ploy to mess with P2P networks from the inside. Over my head, but for what it's worth, maybe don't use Bluetack.</p> <p>4. <strong>Look at private torrent sites</strong>. Even though Oink's hallowed days are over, there are still a number of good, private BitTorrent sites, where your odds of getting hit with random malware or a federal subpoena are lessened. But they may take some conniving to get invited to, and you'll likely be forced to upload a certain amount to keep your membership.</p> <p>5. <strong>Moderation, moderation</strong>. When you can, watch on Hulu, or heaven forbid, buy from your favorite artists. And the less massive your bandwidth usage, the less likely you are to draw the ire of your ISP (or their monthly bandwidth cap).</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238190980403_Picture_1_07.png" height="507" width="804" /><br /> <strong>Autodownload Your Favorite Shows via RSS</strong><br /> For serialized stuff like TV shows, you can easily set up Vuze to subscribe to popular series via RSS and auto-download them every week. It's nice. µTorrent lovers should check out <a href="http://www.ted.nu/">TED</a>, a cross-platform standalone app that does the same thing.</p> <p>1. In Vuze, search for your favorite show. Once you've found the newest episode and added it to your download list, click the orange RSS button under "Subscribe." The subscribe window can also look at other files in your library and subscribe to those too.</p> <p>2. You'll see a lot of different options, all seemingly the same. Choose HD where possible, and if there's an EZTV option, choose that—it's a reliably source of good torrents. Then, new episodes will appear in your Subscriptions area automatically, and you can pull them down.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238190989023_Picture_2_05.png" height="503" width="804" /><br /> <strong>Stream to Your Game Console or Transcode For Your iPod/PMP/Phone with Vuze</strong><br /> The newest version of Vuze <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180661/vuze-aka-azureus-makes-torrenting-video-even-better-with-easy-conversion-and-streaming">added a seriously useful transcoding and streaming tool</a>—just when you thought there couldn't be anything else crammed into this app. But it's great, and works perfectly to auto-detect a PS3 or Xbox 360 on your network and stream your downloads to your TV without any annoying configurations.</p> <p>1. Enable the streaming add-on under the "Devices" option in the left pane.</p> <p>2. If your PS3 or Xbox 360 is on and connected to your network, it will automatically show up as a device. Simply drag a file from your library to the icon for your console, and it will be available in the expected area (in the Video menu of the PS3's XMB and the My Video Library, as another PC, on the Xbox 360).</p> <p>3. The tool will also transcode to iTunes in sizes optimized for iPods, iPhones and Apple TV using the same process. Just drag the file from your Vuze library to the iTunes icon, and after a somewhat slow conversion time, it will be copied to your iTunes library. Pretty sweet.</p> <p><strong>Next Steps</strong><br /> There are plenty of places you can take it from there. Like setting up a dedicated, always-on torrrent machine, either with a spare PC or a standalone NAS box with a built-in Torrent client. Then you can take advantage of web-only interfaces to access and manage your downloads from the road.</p> <p>Sounds like pretty good fodder for a future <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a>, doesn't it? Keep your eyes peeled.</p> <p><em>So that's about it! Like we said before, if you have more tips and tools to share, please drop some links in the comments—your feedback is hugely important to our Saturday How To guides. And if you have any topics you'd like to see covered here, please <a href="mailto:[email protected]">let me know</a>. Have a good weekend Torrenting, everyone!</em></p> <p><em>Image courtesy of, you guessed it, Jason Chen.</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5187630guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/porntorrent.jpg" />Even if you've been casually Torrenting for years, BitTorrent tools keep getting better. Here's our guide for getting the most out of what is, slowly but surely, changing forever how people acquire and consume entertainments.</p> <p>This guide is intended for folks who understand the basics but may have only just started to scratch the surface of what BitTorrent clients are capable of. If you're even more hardcore than the tips here, feel free to drop some knowledge (and links!) in the comments for everyone's use. Spread the love.</p> <p>Throughout this guide we'll be using two of the most popular multi-platform BitTorrent clients, <a href="http://Vuze.com">Vuze</a> (formerly called Azureus) and <a href="http://www.utorrent.com/">µTorrent</a>. Both apps take two fundamentally different approaches: Vuze packs in just about every feature you could imagine, including a search tool, social-networking-like sharing among friends, a content guide, and much more. µTorrent on the other hand is the opposite: sleek, simple and barebones. The choice is yours.</p> <p>Lots of our pointers here will take advantages of some of Vuze's newest features, but we love µTorrent too. Where applicable, we'll highlight standalone applications that can help bring some of Vuze's integrated functionality to µTorrent fans.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238190970935_Picture_25_16-33-18.png" height="579" width="804" /><br /> <strong>Set up Your Router's NAT and Transfer Limits</strong><br /> This is, without a doubt, the single most important thing you can do to ensure the highest possible BitTorrent performance. And it's also something often overlooked by casual and even intermediate Torrenters.</p> <p>BitTorrent clients pipe all of their network traffic through a single "port" on your network. But your router likes to partially or fully block traffic that doesn't come through on all the "standard" ports (like port 80 for web traffic, for instance). So you want to make sure your computer has a clear and open channel to all that data you're going to be sucking down by setting up "port forwarding," which lets your router know to which computer on the network it should send traffic on certain ports instead of blocking it. Make sense?</p> <p>1. In your Torrent client's preferences under the "network" or "connection" heading, find out which TCP/UDP port it's using. Keep the default, but for the record, you can choose basically any number you want (but read Vuze's <a href="http://www.azureuswiki.com/index.php?title=Why_ports_like_6881_are_no_good_choice">"Good Port Choices"</a> article first) and if you have multiple machines on the same network using BitTorrent you'll want to choose unique port numbers for all of them.</p> <p>2. Now, open up your router's admin page. This is pulled up by going to your router's IP address in a web browser (commonly 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1). Sometimes you'll have to enter a username and password; Google around for your model's default name/password if you can't remember it. Users of Apple's AirPort routers should use the AirPort Utility app.</p> <p>3. Now, the terminology for what you're looking for is called different things by all the router companies. Some call it "port forwarding," others call it "virtual servers" or "port mapping"—the terminology is surprisingly varied, but it's usually listed under an "advanced settings" tab if there is one. The site <a href="http://Portforward.com">Portforwarding.com</a> can help you locate yours if you're having trouble.</p> <p>4. Once you've found where this all goes down, enter the port number from your client in step 1 for BOTH UDP and TCP fields (you'll enter the same port number for the "private" or "local" UDP/TCP fields). You'll also enter your current machine's IP address (found in Network preferences on both OS X and Windows).</p> <p><strong>Note:</strong> If your machine is a laptop and you're frequently connecting and disconnecting from the network, you'll want to set up a static local IP address so you don't have to switch your router's settings every time you Torrent.</p> <p>5. Hit save, and you should be good to go. Your BitTorrent client will have a network test built in somewhere in the preferences—use that to make sure your connection is clear.</p> <p>6. Now, the final step, is setting a limit to your uploading speeds. As you know, BitTorrent simultaneously uploads to other peers while you're downloading, and to ensure solid download speeds you must upload. But you don't want these uploads to take over your limited upload bandwidth, especially if you're on a cable connection. To be safe, cap your uploads around 20 kb/s. This is a good general ballpark that'll ensure good download speeds and won't clog your pipe. If you're on FIOS you may want to kick that up a bit, but play around.</p> <p>Vuze has a tool that can help you auto-configure your speeds too—probably worth experimenting with in the prefs.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/MPAA_watching.jpg" height="366" width="750" /><br clear="all" /> <br /> <strong>Cover Your Ass</strong><br /> All the regular disclaimers apply: don't be an idiot when you're downloading stuff you probably shouldn't. Here are some tools and strategies to make sure you keep yourself virus- and subpoena-free. But like always, no guarantees! Proceed at your own risk! Etc.</p> <p>1. <strong>Don't seed more than is absolutely necessary</strong>. The RIAA/MPAA/NARC's number one priority are heavy uploaders. Not to say that the downloading part is any less illegal, but if you stop seeding and delete your .torrent file after it's done downloading, your odds of staying safe are significantly higher.</p> <p><em><strong>Note:</strong> If your carefully crafted code of online morals compels you to continue uploading beyond the amount you shared during the download, feel free, knowing that it increases your odds of getting a friendly note from your ISP. And, please, do seed any files that are intentionally being distributed via BitTorrent, like a Linux distribution or Creative Commons licensed stuff from friends like Nine Inch Nails. You can't get hurt by that.</em></p> <p><em>You could make an argument that Torrenting is mainstream enough to survive on many thousands of people seeding very small amounts (ie: the amount uploaded while they're downloading), or you could make an argument about the double (triple? quadruple?) paradoxes that surface when contemplating the morals of consuming vis a vis sharing in the gray to grayish-black Torrent market. But I'm not your dad—what you do is up to you.</em></p> <p>2. <strong>Go for torrents with a lot of seeds and good comments.</strong> If hundreds of people are seeding a file, the odds of it being of good quality and virus free are higher. I know this may seem contradictory to point #1, but you're not in this for the geek cred. You're in this for you. So go with the herd. Also, comments on torrent sites will often have some shreds of useful info—if a lot of people report strange behavior with the downloaded file or a mysterious password lock, skip it.</p> <p>Also, seeking out the geek legends of the Torrent community will go a long way to ensure good downloads. Choose people like <a href="http://www.mininova.org/user/aXXo">aXXo</a>'s Torrents where possible.</p> <p>3. <strong><del>Use the Bluetack IP filter to keep known baddies out of your life</del></strong>. The folks at Bluetack maintain a list of IP ranges of known spammers, virus seeders, and undercover snoops like Media Defender who might bust your ass. To add the list to Vuze, go to Preferences -> IP Filgers and type in the following URL into the auto-fill field: <a href="http://www.bluetack.co.uk/config/level1.zip">http://www.bluetack.co.uk/config/level1.zip</a></p> <p><strong>Update:</strong> Someone who should know has advised us against using Bluetack for a whole litany of reasons, most shocking of which is that Bluetack is some elaborate ploy to mess with P2P networks from the inside. Over my head, but for what it's worth, maybe don't use Bluetack.</p> <p>4. <strong>Look at private torrent sites</strong>. Even though Oink's hallowed days are over, there are still a number of good, private BitTorrent sites, where your odds of getting hit with random malware or a federal subpoena are lessened. But they may take some conniving to get invited to, and you'll likely be forced to upload a certain amount to keep your membership.</p> <p>5. <strong>Moderation, moderation</strong>. When you can, watch on Hulu, or heaven forbid, buy from your favorite artists. And the less massive your bandwidth usage, the less likely you are to draw the ire of your ISP (or their monthly bandwidth cap).</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238190980403_Picture_1_07.png" height="507" width="804" /><br /> <strong>Autodownload Your Favorite Shows via RSS</strong><br /> For serialized stuff like TV shows, you can easily set up Vuze to subscribe to popular series via RSS and auto-download them every week. It's nice. µTorrent lovers should check out <a href="http://www.ted.nu/">TED</a>, a cross-platform standalone app that does the same thing.</p> <p>1. In Vuze, search for your favorite show. Once you've found the newest episode and added it to your download list, click the orange RSS button under "Subscribe." The subscribe window can also look at other files in your library and subscribe to those too.</p> <p>2. You'll see a lot of different options, all seemingly the same. Choose HD where possible, and if there's an EZTV option, choose that—it's a reliably source of good torrents. Then, new episodes will appear in your Subscriptions area automatically, and you can pull them down.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1238190989023_Picture_2_05.png" height="503" width="804" /><br /> <strong>Stream to Your Game Console or Transcode For Your iPod/PMP/Phone with Vuze</strong><br /> The newest version of Vuze <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180661/vuze-aka-azureus-makes-torrenting-video-even-better-with-easy-conversion-and-streaming">added a seriously useful transcoding and streaming tool</a>—just when you thought there couldn't be anything else crammed into this app. But it's great, and works perfectly to auto-detect a PS3 or Xbox 360 on your network and stream your downloads to your TV without any annoying configurations.</p> <p>1. Enable the streaming add-on under the "Devices" option in the left pane.</p> <p>2. If your PS3 or Xbox 360 is on and connected to your network, it will automatically show up as a device. Simply drag a file from your library to the icon for your console, and it will be available in the expected area (in the Video menu of the PS3's XMB and the My Video Library, as another PC, on the Xbox 360).</p> <p>3. The tool will also transcode to iTunes in sizes optimized for iPods, iPhones and Apple TV using the same process. Just drag the file from your Vuze library to the iTunes icon, and after a somewhat slow conversion time, it will be copied to your iTunes library. Pretty sweet.</p> <p><strong>Next Steps</strong><br /> There are plenty of places you can take it from there. Like setting up a dedicated, always-on torrrent machine, either with a spare PC or a standalone NAS box with a built-in Torrent client. Then you can take advantage of web-only interfaces to access and manage your downloads from the road.</p> <p>Sounds like pretty good fodder for a future <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a>, doesn't it? Keep your eyes peeled.</p> <p><em>So that's about it! Like we said before, if you have more tips and tools to share, please drop some links in the comments—your feedback is hugely important to our Saturday How To guides. And if you have any topics you'd like to see covered here, please <a href="mailto:[email protected]">let me know</a>. Have a good weekend Torrenting, everyone!</em></p> <p><em>Image courtesy of, you guessed it, Jason Chen.</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueHow To: Use BitTorrent Like a Probasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187630/how-to-use-bittorrent-like-a-prorelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187630/how-to-use-bittorrent-like-a-proupdatedSat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDTupdated_timeSat Mar 28 16:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932816005870titleStay At the Hotelicopter: The World's First Flying Hotelwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5187289&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermhelicoptersschemelabeltermflying hotelschemelabeltermhelicopterschemelabeltermhotelschemelabeltermhotelicopterschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermtransportationschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/hotelicopter.jpg" height="475" width="804" />Since 2004, the company behind the Hotelicopter has been working to modify a Soviet-made Mil V-12 into two world firsts: the "world's biggest helicopter" and the "world's first <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/flying-hotel/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged FLYING HOTEL">flying hotel</a>."</p> <p></p> <p>As you might have guessed, the experience on board the Hotelicopter is far from your standard Motel 6. This gigantic flying <strike>Titanic</strike> machine features everything you would expect from a 5-star hotel—from private entertainment systems and room service to extras like spa treatments, yoga classes, gaming and a tea garden.</p> <p>If you were wondering just how big and powerful this flying hotel really is, check out the specs:</p> <blockquote> <p>* Dimensions Length: 42 m (137 ft)<br /> * Height: 14m (45 ft)<br /> * Maximum Takeoff Weight: 105850 kg (232,870 lb)<br /> * Maximum speed: 255 km/h (137 kt) (158 miles/h)<br /> * Cruising speed: 237 km/h (127 kt) (147 miles/h)<br /> * Original Mi Range: 515 km (320 mi)<br /> * Our augmented Mi Range - 1,030 km (640 mi)</p> </blockquote> <p>The inaugural flight is set to take place on June 26th for an undisclosed price. Obviously, only the affluent need apply—but anyone that is interested can head on over to the Hotelicopter website to get more info about setting up a reservation. [<a href="http://hotelicopter.com/">Hotelicopter</a> <em>Thanks Zlooop!</em>]</p> <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> Sadly, the Hotelicopter has been <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5191064/the-hotelicopter-outed-as-a-fake">outed as a fake</a>.</p> <p></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorSean Fallonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5187289guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/hotelicopter.jpg" height="475" width="804" />Since 2004, the company behind the Hotelicopter has been working to modify a Soviet-made Mil V-12 into two world firsts: the "world's biggest helicopter" and the "world's first <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/flying-hotel/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged FLYING HOTEL">flying hotel</a>."</p> <p></p> <p>As you might have guessed, the experience on board the Hotelicopter is far from your standard Motel 6. This gigantic flying <strike>Titanic</strike> machine features everything you would expect from a 5-star hotel—from private entertainment systems and room service to extras like spa treatments, yoga classes, gaming and a tea garden.</p> <p>If you were wondering just how big and powerful this flying hotel really is, check out the specs:</p> <blockquote> <p>* Dimensions Length: 42 m (137 ft)<br /> * Height: 14m (45 ft)<br /> * Maximum Takeoff Weight: 105850 kg (232,870 lb)<br /> * Maximum speed: 255 km/h (137 kt) (158 miles/h)<br /> * Cruising speed: 237 km/h (127 kt) (147 miles/h)<br /> * Original Mi Range: 515 km (320 mi)<br /> * Our augmented Mi Range - 1,030 km (640 mi)</p> </blockquote> <p>The inaugural flight is set to take place on June 26th for an undisclosed price. Obviously, only the affluent need apply—but anyone that is interested can head on over to the Hotelicopter website to get more info about setting up a reservation. [<a href="http://hotelicopter.com/">Hotelicopter</a> <em>Thanks Zlooop!</em>]</p> <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> Sadly, the Hotelicopter has been <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5191064/the-hotelicopter-outed-as-a-fake">outed as a fake</a>.</p> <p></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueStay At the Hotelicopter: The World's First Flying Hotelbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187289/stay-at-the-hotelicopter-the-worlds-first-flying-hotelrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187289/stay-at-the-hotelicopter-the-worlds-first-flying-hotelupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 18:20:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 22:20:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009327222004860titleThe Week in iPhone Apps: More Nazis to Killwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5187201&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermiphone appsschemelabeltermapp storeschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermitunesschemelabeltermthe week in iPhone appsschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/appreview_march27_01.jpg" height="179" width="603" />Who doesn't love killing digital Nazis?</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_18.png" height="319" width="482" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309470478&mt=8">Wolfenstein 3D Classic</a>:</strong> Running around 8-bit halls blasting Nazis just doesn't get old, does it? If you loved Wolfenstein on your Packard Bell in 1991, you'll love it even more on your iPhone. It's $5, from iD.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/IMG_0071.PNG" height="480" width="320" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284862083&mt=8">New York Times 2.0</a>:</strong> I've wanted to love the NYT app since it came out in the early days of the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-store/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged APP STORE">App Store</a>, but now I actually kind of do. Version 2.0 greatly enhances download and processing speed, even over EDGE, and lets you easily save articles for offline viewing. And it doesn't seem to crash every two seconds like before or display images only when it felt like it. Still free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_15.png" height="457" width="320" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=299949744&mt=8">MotionX GPS</a>:</strong> The folks at MotionX make some of our favorite <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE APPS">iPhone apps</a>, and they've outdone themselves with MotionX GPS. It's the only GPS app that can cache significant chunks of open-source maps, and it also can upload geocaching tracks, geotag photos, and do just about everything else one would hope from an outdoor-centric GPS. There's a nearly cripple-free lite version for free and a $3 paid that adds a few additional functions.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_11_01.png" height="474" width="315" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284815117&mt=8">Scrabble</a>: EA's Scrabble app got a nice update that ties into their Facebook version, allowing you to play games with friends from the iPhone. There's live chat, stat trackers, and support for multiple concurrent games. It's $5.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/IMG_0070.PNG" height="480" width="320" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307740338&mt=8">Gadget Junkie</a></strong>: <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187259/iphone-app-aggregates-gizmodo-and-engadget-air-traffic-control-currently-watching-for-flying-pigs">Aggregates Gizmodo and Engadget</a>. Apparently Satan's rivers of molten hellfire flow on, unfrozen. $1<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_21_01.png" height="480" width="317" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307779867&mt=8">New Yorker Animated Cartoons</a>:</strong> If you just can't get enough of that high-falutin', single-cell New Yorker cartoon wit, they've gone and animated several and present a new one each day via a free app. If you ask me, putting these in motion kind of messes with the aesthetic, but hey, it's free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>This Week's App News on Giz:</strong></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5186503/mugen-pop-pop-infinite-bubble-wrap-now-on-iphones">Mugen Pop Pop Infinite Bubble Wrap Now on iPhones</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185879/convertbot-is-the-prettiest-unit-conversion-iphone-app-youre-likely-to-see">ConvertBot is the Prettiest Unit Conversion iPhone App You're Likely To See</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5182166/wolfenstein-now-available-for-jailbroken-iphones-doom-coming-soon">Wolfenstein Now Available for Jailbroken iPhones; Doom Coming Soon</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180332/what-the-iphone-has-needed-all-along-is-coming-sparkle-a-3d-virtual-world">What the iPhone Has Needed All Along is Coming: Sparkle, A 3D Virtual World</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180332/what-the-iphone-has-needed-all-along-is-coming-sparkle-a-3d-virtual-world">What the iPhone Has Needed All Along is Coming: Sparkle, A 3D Virtual World</a></p> <p><em>This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/the-week-in-iPhone-apps/">previous weekly roundups here</a>, and check out our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps-directory">Favorite iPhone Apps Directory</a> and our original <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5023924/iphone-app-review-marathon-liveblog">iPhone App Review Marathon</a>. Have a good weekend everybody.</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5187201guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/appreview_march27_01.jpg" height="179" width="603" />Who doesn't love killing digital Nazis?</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_18.png" height="319" width="482" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309470478&mt=8">Wolfenstein 3D Classic</a>:</strong> Running around 8-bit halls blasting Nazis just doesn't get old, does it? If you loved Wolfenstein on your Packard Bell in 1991, you'll love it even more on your iPhone. It's $5, from iD.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/IMG_0071.PNG" height="480" width="320" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284862083&mt=8">New York Times 2.0</a>:</strong> I've wanted to love the NYT app since it came out in the early days of the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-store/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged APP STORE">App Store</a>, but now I actually kind of do. Version 2.0 greatly enhances download and processing speed, even over EDGE, and lets you easily save articles for offline viewing. And it doesn't seem to crash every two seconds like before or display images only when it felt like it. Still free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_15.png" height="457" width="320" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=299949744&mt=8">MotionX GPS</a>:</strong> The folks at MotionX make some of our favorite <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE APPS">iPhone apps</a>, and they've outdone themselves with MotionX GPS. It's the only GPS app that can cache significant chunks of open-source maps, and it also can upload geocaching tracks, geotag photos, and do just about everything else one would hope from an outdoor-centric GPS. There's a nearly cripple-free lite version for free and a $3 paid that adds a few additional functions.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_11_01.png" height="474" width="315" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284815117&mt=8">Scrabble</a>: EA's Scrabble app got a nice update that ties into their Facebook version, allowing you to play games with friends from the iPhone. There's live chat, stat trackers, and support for multiple concurrent games. It's $5.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/IMG_0070.PNG" height="480" width="320" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307740338&mt=8">Gadget Junkie</a></strong>: <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5187259/iphone-app-aggregates-gizmodo-and-engadget-air-traffic-control-currently-watching-for-flying-pigs">Aggregates Gizmodo and Engadget</a>. Apparently Satan's rivers of molten hellfire flow on, unfrozen. $1<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_21_01.png" height="480" width="317" /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307779867&mt=8">New Yorker Animated Cartoons</a>:</strong> If you just can't get enough of that high-falutin', single-cell New Yorker cartoon wit, they've gone and animated several and present a new one each day via a free app. If you ask me, putting these in motion kind of messes with the aesthetic, but hey, it's free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>This Week's App News on Giz:</strong></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5186503/mugen-pop-pop-infinite-bubble-wrap-now-on-iphones">Mugen Pop Pop Infinite Bubble Wrap Now on iPhones</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185879/convertbot-is-the-prettiest-unit-conversion-iphone-app-youre-likely-to-see">ConvertBot is the Prettiest Unit Conversion iPhone App You're Likely To See</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5182166/wolfenstein-now-available-for-jailbroken-iphones-doom-coming-soon">Wolfenstein Now Available for Jailbroken iPhones; Doom Coming Soon</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180332/what-the-iphone-has-needed-all-along-is-coming-sparkle-a-3d-virtual-world">What the iPhone Has Needed All Along is Coming: Sparkle, A 3D Virtual World</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180332/what-the-iphone-has-needed-all-along-is-coming-sparkle-a-3d-virtual-world">What the iPhone Has Needed All Along is Coming: Sparkle, A 3D Virtual World</a></p> <p><em>This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/the-week-in-iPhone-apps/">previous weekly roundups here</a>, and check out our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps-directory">Favorite iPhone Apps Directory</a> and our original <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5023924/iphone-app-review-marathon-liveblog">iPhone App Review Marathon</a>. Have a good weekend everybody.</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe Week in iPhone Apps: More Nazis to Killbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187201/the-week-in-iphone-apps-more-nazis-to-killrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187201/the-week-in-iphone-apps-more-nazis-to-killupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 21:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932721004860title8 Gadgets That Will Help Woz Win Dancing With The Starswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5186938&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermtgifschemelabeltermdancingschemelabeltermdancing with the starsschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermgadgetsschemelabeltermthank giz it's fridayschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermwozschemelabeltermwoz dancing with the starsschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/woz-dancing-with-the-stars.jpg" height="441" width="567" />It hasn't <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5167227/woz-dances-his-weird-little-heart-out-you-know-what-to-do">always been pretty</a>, but Woz has definitely won us over with his appearance on <em><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/dancing-with-the-stars/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged DANCING WITH THE STARS" class="autolink">Dancing With the Stars</a></em>. The following gadgets will help him earn the same respect from the judges.</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><i><a href="http://robert.accettura.com/blog/2009/03/12/steve-wozniak-on-dancing-with-the-stars/">Photo Credit Robert Accettura</a></i></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorSean Fallonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5186938guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/woz-dancing-with-the-stars.jpg" height="441" width="567" />It hasn't <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5167227/woz-dances-his-weird-little-heart-out-you-know-what-to-do">always been pretty</a>, but Woz has definitely won us over with his appearance on <em><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/dancing-with-the-stars/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged DANCING WITH THE STARS" class="autolink">Dancing With the Stars</a></em>. The following gadgets will help him earn the same respect from the judges.</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><i><a href="http://robert.accettura.com/blog/2009/03/12/steve-wozniak-on-dancing-with-the-stars/">Photo Credit Robert Accettura</a></i></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalue8 Gadgets That Will Help Woz Win Dancing With The Starsbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5186938/8-gadgets-that-will-help-woz-win-dancing-with-the-starsrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5186938/8-gadgets-that-will-help-woz-win-dancing-with-the-starsupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 20:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932720004860titleLauren, We Have Someone Who'd Like to Talk to Youwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5187031&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermcharityschemelabeltermadsschemelabeltermadvertisementsschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermI'm a PCschemelabeltermlaurenschemelabeltermmacbookschemelabeltermmacbook proschemelabeltermmicrosoftschemelabeltermmicrosoft laurenschemelabeltermpowerbookschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermwindowsschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/laurenmitch.jpg" height="406" width="804" />By now you've probably seen Microsoft's latest ad featuring <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5186672/microsoft-marketing-team-now-exclusively-advised-by-internet-commenters-but-it-works">Lauren</a>, a woman who claims to be neither cool nor rich enough for a MacBook. Well Lauren, one of our readers has a gift for you.</p> <p>Mitch Gewirtz of Michigan would like to give you his 17-inch PowerBook. For free. From Mitch:<br /></p> <blockquote>Subject: I AM UP FOR THE CHALLENGE! <p>To whom it may concern,</p> <p>I recently watched the new PC ad on television the other night about "Lauren" purchasing a laptop for under $1000.00. It was a great advertisement targeting everyday PC users. My only concern is that I feel the computer "Lauren" chose will not provide an overall positive experience. I am asking for your assistance to help me locate "Lauren". I am willing to give her my 17" Mac laptop "FOR FREE" so she can decide which laptop is superior without putting a price tag on it.</p> <p>I do believe everyone on this planet is "cool enough to be a Mac person".</p> <p>Sincerely,<br /> Mitch Gewirtz</p> </blockquote> <p>We of course wrote back to Mitch to gauge his level of seriousness in this matter. His response:<br /></p> <blockquote>Absolutely! I am serious! <p>I believe my 17" G4 powerbook is still more advanced than any PC out there today. It is a very healthy laptop that has given me a wonderful experience the last couple of years. I truly believe if "Lauren" had a chance to use this laptop she would change her mind.</p> <p>Can you help me locate her?</p> </blockquote> <p>While Apple fanboys are a dime a dozen, we like Mitch's attitude, a guy willing to put his money where his mouth is (even if that money is invested in an older machine he may be planning to replace). So Mitch, Gizmodo would like to support you on your quest to gift Lauren your PowerBook. We've got your back, buddy.</p> <p>Lauren, where are you? Drop us a line (you can find my email on the side of the page). Let's make this love connection happen.</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorMark Wilsonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5187031guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/laurenmitch.jpg" height="406" width="804" />By now you've probably seen Microsoft's latest ad featuring <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5186672/microsoft-marketing-team-now-exclusively-advised-by-internet-commenters-but-it-works">Lauren</a>, a woman who claims to be neither cool nor rich enough for a MacBook. Well Lauren, one of our readers has a gift for you.</p> <p>Mitch Gewirtz of Michigan would like to give you his 17-inch PowerBook. For free. From Mitch:<br /></p> <blockquote>Subject: I AM UP FOR THE CHALLENGE! <p>To whom it may concern,</p> <p>I recently watched the new PC ad on television the other night about "Lauren" purchasing a laptop for under $1000.00. It was a great advertisement targeting everyday PC users. My only concern is that I feel the computer "Lauren" chose will not provide an overall positive experience. I am asking for your assistance to help me locate "Lauren". I am willing to give her my 17" Mac laptop "FOR FREE" so she can decide which laptop is superior without putting a price tag on it.</p> <p>I do believe everyone on this planet is "cool enough to be a Mac person".</p> <p>Sincerely,<br /> Mitch Gewirtz</p> </blockquote> <p>We of course wrote back to Mitch to gauge his level of seriousness in this matter. His response:<br /></p> <blockquote>Absolutely! I am serious! <p>I believe my 17" G4 powerbook is still more advanced than any PC out there today. It is a very healthy laptop that has given me a wonderful experience the last couple of years. I truly believe if "Lauren" had a chance to use this laptop she would change her mind.</p> <p>Can you help me locate her?</p> </blockquote> <p>While Apple fanboys are a dime a dozen, we like Mitch's attitude, a guy willing to put his money where his mouth is (even if that money is invested in an older machine he may be planning to replace). So Mitch, Gizmodo would like to support you on your quest to gift Lauren your PowerBook. We've got your back, buddy.</p> <p>Lauren, where are you? Drop us a line (you can find my email on the side of the page). Let's make this love connection happen.</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueLauren, We Have Someone Who'd Like to Talk to Youbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-yourelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-youupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 18:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932718004860titleDell Latitude 2100 'Welch' Netbooks Leakedwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5187173&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermleakschemelabelterm2100schemelabeltermdellschemelabeltermdell latitude 2100 welchschemelabeltermeducationschemelabeltermexclusiveschemelabeltermlatitudeschemelabeltermlatitude 2100schemelabeltermnetbookschemelabeltermnetbooksschemelabeltermrumorschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermwelchschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/dellbus.jpg" height="635" width="931" />A tipster just leaked these Dell <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/latitude-2100/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged LATITUDE 2100">Latitude 2100</a> 'Welch' laptops to us, which have a 10-inch display and are aimed under $600. The best part are the names: School Bus Orange and Red Apple.</p> <p>Here are the details: they're a new Latitude notebook design branded for the education market using the Atom architecture. They can support an optional SSD, hold up to 2GB RAM, hit 1.6GHz and weigh in at under 3lbs.</p> <p>In other specs, there's three USB ports, SD/MMC slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth, 3 and 6-cell battery options and a possible Touchscreen. Dell's trying to launch this around May 2009 in time for back to school season. If this leak is true, this is a pretty snazzy netbook for schoolkids for a pretty decent price. [<i>Thanks Tipster!</i>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJason Chenidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5187173guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/dellbus.jpg" height="635" width="931" />A tipster just leaked these Dell <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/latitude-2100/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged LATITUDE 2100">Latitude 2100</a> 'Welch' laptops to us, which have a 10-inch display and are aimed under $600. The best part are the names: School Bus Orange and Red Apple.</p> <p>Here are the details: they're a new Latitude notebook design branded for the education market using the Atom architecture. They can support an optional SSD, hold up to 2GB RAM, hit 1.6GHz and weigh in at under 3lbs.</p> <p>In other specs, there's three USB ports, SD/MMC slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth, 3 and 6-cell battery options and a possible Touchscreen. Dell's trying to launch this around May 2009 in time for back to school season. If this leak is true, this is a pretty snazzy netbook for schoolkids for a pretty decent price. [<i>Thanks Tipster!</i>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueDell Latitude 2100 'Welch' Netbooks Leakedbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187173/dell-latitude-2100-welch-netbooks-leakedrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5187173/dell-latitude-2100-welch-netbooks-leakedupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 13:39:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 17:39:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009327173904860titleFyreTV Review: Porn Streams Beautifully Onto Your Bedroom TVwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5186068&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermpornschemelabeltermfyretvschemelabeltermfyretv reviewschemelabeltermnsfwschemelabeltermporn streamerschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermwirelessschemelabeltermwireless pornschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/fyretv.jpg" height="525" width="804" />We've covered the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/343506/hands+on-with-fyretv-the-best-porn-in-the-living-room-solution-yet-nsfw">original</a> and <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5127938/fyretv-the-best-streaming-tv-porn-box-goes-wireless-nsfw">wireless</a> FyreTV boxes already, but the porn-on-your-TV streamer has finally gotten to a point where it's stable and usable. And it really is great.</p> <p>The <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5127938/fyretv-the-best-streaming-tv-porn-box-goes-wireless-nsfw">newest wireless</a> box, combined with the latest firmware updates, make this box a porn streaming solution that's practical in that you can hook it to any TV in your house and deliver porn to it.</p> <p>Here's the gist of the device. The FyreTV box connects, via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, to the FyreTV servers. For $9.95 a month (plus more if you go over your 100 allotted credits), you get access to a 10,000+ title library of porn. There's HDMI as well as component and composite connections, as well as a (as of right now, pretty crappy) remote to control what you see.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/fyretvback.jpg" height="386" width="804" />What you need to know, as a gadget person who also enjoys the occasional pornographic video, is that this is probably the easiest way to get legal porn onto your TV. Where the previous version required you to drag an Ethernet cable for a connection—something not every person has in their bedrooms—the Wi-Fi on this version allows you quite a bit of freedom.</p> <p></p> <p>As for the quality, it's essentially DVD-level video parsed through a streaming filter. FyreTV will have HD content soon, but the DVD quality is good enough for most people. The menus are navigated easily enough, and with the latest software updates, you won't see too many slowdowns. Suffice it to say, you'll be able to get the job done without waiting for stuff to load and menus to pop up, provided you have a decent enough internet connection.</p> <p>Is it easy to use? Definitely. Is it free? No. You can rig up a PC to your TV and download free internet porn if you have an extra machine lying around and know what you're doing. But it is the easiest, quickest and most legal way to get streaming pornography onto your bedroom or living room TV. [<a href="http://fyretv.com/site">FyreTV</a> (NSFW)]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJason Chenidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5186068guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/fyretv.jpg" height="525" width="804" />We've covered the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/343506/hands+on-with-fyretv-the-best-porn-in-the-living-room-solution-yet-nsfw">original</a> and <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5127938/fyretv-the-best-streaming-tv-porn-box-goes-wireless-nsfw">wireless</a> FyreTV boxes already, but the porn-on-your-TV streamer has finally gotten to a point where it's stable and usable. And it really is great.</p> <p>The <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5127938/fyretv-the-best-streaming-tv-porn-box-goes-wireless-nsfw">newest wireless</a> box, combined with the latest firmware updates, make this box a porn streaming solution that's practical in that you can hook it to any TV in your house and deliver porn to it.</p> <p>Here's the gist of the device. The FyreTV box connects, via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, to the FyreTV servers. For $9.95 a month (plus more if you go over your 100 allotted credits), you get access to a 10,000+ title library of porn. There's HDMI as well as component and composite connections, as well as a (as of right now, pretty crappy) remote to control what you see.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/fyretvback.jpg" height="386" width="804" />What you need to know, as a gadget person who also enjoys the occasional pornographic video, is that this is probably the easiest way to get legal porn onto your TV. Where the previous version required you to drag an Ethernet cable for a connection—something not every person has in their bedrooms—the Wi-Fi on this version allows you quite a bit of freedom.</p> <p></p> <p>As for the quality, it's essentially DVD-level video parsed through a streaming filter. FyreTV will have HD content soon, but the DVD quality is good enough for most people. The menus are navigated easily enough, and with the latest software updates, you won't see too many slowdowns. Suffice it to say, you'll be able to get the job done without waiting for stuff to load and menus to pop up, provided you have a decent enough internet connection.</p> <p>Is it easy to use? Definitely. Is it free? No. You can rig up a PC to your TV and download free internet porn if you have an extra machine lying around and know what you're doing. But it is the easiest, quickest and most legal way to get streaming pornography onto your bedroom or living room TV. [<a href="http://fyretv.com/site">FyreTV</a> (NSFW)]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueFyreTV Review: Porn Streams Beautifully Onto Your Bedroom TVbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5186068/fyretv-review-porn-streams-beautifully-onto-your-bedroom-tvrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5186068/fyretv-review-porn-streams-beautifully-onto-your-bedroom-tvupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 17:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932717004860titleThe Beautiful, Scary Robots of Shigeo Hirosewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5184211&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermwired for war specialschemelabeltermclipsschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermhiroseschemelabeltermhirose-fukushimaschemelabeltermhirose-fukushima Robotics Labschemelabeltermretromodoschemelabeltermrobotsschemelabeltermshigeo hiroseschemelabeltermtokyo techschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermvideoschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><br clear="all" />There are plenty of robot builders, but none bring as much elegance to engineering as <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/shigeo-hirose/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SHIGEO HIROSE">Shigeo Hirose</a>. His creatures are <em>Star Wars</em>, <em>Iron Giant</em> and Dean Kamen rolled into one cybernetic maki.</p> <p>Truth is, I'd never heard of Shigeo Hirose or the <a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot_e.html">Hirose-Fukushima Robotics Lab at Tokyo Tech</a> until I read <em>Wired for War</em>—author PW Singer, <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180363/wired-for-war-author-explains-revolution-in-robotics-scares-crap-out-of-us">featured in our interview here</a>, sings the praises of the robot master, possibly the world's foremost. </p> <p>As you can see in the montage and the rundown, below, the dude has been building stuff for years, and things he designed 30 years ago, still seem startling compared to the commercial robotics we've grown used to. Swimming snakes, tiny velociraptors, and giant hands that close around women's waists—this guy seems to know that the real fuel of robotic development is a careful combination of humor and fear.</p> <p>Make sure you watch all three minutes of the video—the last 30 seconds feature a rollerskating robot that quite frankly blew my mind. Here's a rundown of the featured models, in the order in which they appear in the video:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/ACM_R5.jpg" height="261" width="350" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/acm-r5/acm-r5_e.html">Active Code Mechanism R5 (2005)</a> - This swimming snake scared the hell out of me. I used to be afraid of sharks, now <i>sharks</i> should be afraid of ACM. <br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Elastor_with_hand.jpg" height="188" width="350" />Elastor (????) - What's cool about this slinky with a claw is that it can easily reach things a human arm can't. That and it looks like the prototype for the <i>Lost In Space</i> robot. Danger! <br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Genbu.jpg" height="153" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/genbu/genbu_e.html">Genbu (1995)</a> - This "articulated multi-wheeled mobile robot" is one of many robots Hirose has designed that can navigate over debris. What makes this one special is it's shiny silver spiky look—like it's also a lot of fun at S&M parties.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Soft-Gripper.jpg" height="159" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/sg/sg_e.html">Soft Gripper II (1978)</a> - We have all seen this in movies: The robot hand reaches out and grabs someone, King Kong style, around the waste. But when you see it demonstrated in real life, with a giggling woman, it's frankly chilling. Where's the rest of your gargantuan killer robot, Hirose? Wait, don't answer that.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/VmaxCarrier.jpg" height="152" width="350" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/wheeled/vmax/vmax_e.html">VmaxCarrier (2000)</a> - This "holonomic omni-directional vehicle" at first reminded me of Eddie Murphy's Billy Ray Valentine, panhandling the beginning of <em>Trading Places</em>. Then I glimpsed the underside of this lightweight device—with its four omni-discs, each with eight motorized wheels (for a total of 32 wheels)—and realized this was no movie prop.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Titrus.jpg" height="135" width="200" />Titrus III (????) - I think the lack of a page describing this robot confirms that Hirose only did it to show that he could. The shuffling little dinobot may be more cute than practical, but damn if I don't want six of them.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/SMC_planetary.jpg" height="275" width="350" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/spaceprobe/smc/smc_e.html">SMC Rover (1997) </a> - This planetary exploration robot can send its wheeled legs off on autonomous missions, owing to motors and batteries housed in the wheels themselves. It's brilliant and whimsical, but it also reminds me of John Carpenter's <em>The Thing</em> for some reason.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/TAQT.jpg" height="168" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/wheeled/helios1/helios1_e.html">TAQT Carrier (1991)</a> - This mechanical wheelchair is no match for Dean Kamen's pre-Segway one, but it was built many years earlier, and has a rounded styling that reminds me of <em>Star Wars</em>, like it could be found on Tatooine.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Soryu_2.jpg" height="167" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/soryu4/soryu4_e.html">Soryu V (1997)</a> - One set of treads, and a robot can fall on its back as it climbs vertical terrain. Two or three, as in this case, and it's suddenly more adaptable. Here, to prove the point, Hirose shows it on grass and snow.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Roller-Walker.jpg" height="120" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/walking/rollerwalker/rollerwalker_e.html">Roller-Walker (1994)</a> - It's a rollerskating robot. A rollerskating robot. It's like Xanadu meets Short Circuit. Somebody call Steve Guttenberg, Olivia Newton-John and Jeff Lynne, pronto.<br clear="all" /></p> <p>More fun with Shigeo Hirose: </p> <p>• <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/06/technology_robot_menagerie/html/1.stm">BBC gallery of his "robot menagerie,"</a> including the wall climbing "Ninja" not included in the video.</p> <p>• <a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot_e.html">Hirose-Fukushima Robotics Lab</a>, website in English </p> <p>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986">Wired for War book on Amazon</a> and <a href="http://wiredforwar.pwsinger.com/">author site</a></p> <p><i>Video montage expertly assembled and edited by our own Mike Byhoff; "Music for a Found Harmonium" and other yodels, airs and preludes by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Preludes-Airs-Yodels-Penguin-Primer/dp/B000SZWWC6/ref=dm_cd_album_lnk_alt">available for MP3 download at Amazon.com</a>.</i></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorWilson Rothmanidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5184211guidislinkfalsesummary<p><br clear="all" />There are plenty of robot builders, but none bring as much elegance to engineering as <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/shigeo-hirose/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SHIGEO HIROSE">Shigeo Hirose</a>. His creatures are <em>Star Wars</em>, <em>Iron Giant</em> and Dean Kamen rolled into one cybernetic maki.</p> <p>Truth is, I'd never heard of Shigeo Hirose or the <a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot_e.html">Hirose-Fukushima Robotics Lab at Tokyo Tech</a> until I read <em>Wired for War</em>—author PW Singer, <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180363/wired-for-war-author-explains-revolution-in-robotics-scares-crap-out-of-us">featured in our interview here</a>, sings the praises of the robot master, possibly the world's foremost. </p> <p>As you can see in the montage and the rundown, below, the dude has been building stuff for years, and things he designed 30 years ago, still seem startling compared to the commercial robotics we've grown used to. Swimming snakes, tiny velociraptors, and giant hands that close around women's waists—this guy seems to know that the real fuel of robotic development is a careful combination of humor and fear.</p> <p>Make sure you watch all three minutes of the video—the last 30 seconds feature a rollerskating robot that quite frankly blew my mind. Here's a rundown of the featured models, in the order in which they appear in the video:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/ACM_R5.jpg" height="261" width="350" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/acm-r5/acm-r5_e.html">Active Code Mechanism R5 (2005)</a> - This swimming snake scared the hell out of me. I used to be afraid of sharks, now <i>sharks</i> should be afraid of ACM. <br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Elastor_with_hand.jpg" height="188" width="350" />Elastor (????) - What's cool about this slinky with a claw is that it can easily reach things a human arm can't. That and it looks like the prototype for the <i>Lost In Space</i> robot. Danger! <br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Genbu.jpg" height="153" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/genbu/genbu_e.html">Genbu (1995)</a> - This "articulated multi-wheeled mobile robot" is one of many robots Hirose has designed that can navigate over debris. What makes this one special is it's shiny silver spiky look—like it's also a lot of fun at S&M parties.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Soft-Gripper.jpg" height="159" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/sg/sg_e.html">Soft Gripper II (1978)</a> - We have all seen this in movies: The robot hand reaches out and grabs someone, King Kong style, around the waste. But when you see it demonstrated in real life, with a giggling woman, it's frankly chilling. Where's the rest of your gargantuan killer robot, Hirose? Wait, don't answer that.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/VmaxCarrier.jpg" height="152" width="350" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/wheeled/vmax/vmax_e.html">VmaxCarrier (2000)</a> - This "holonomic omni-directional vehicle" at first reminded me of Eddie Murphy's Billy Ray Valentine, panhandling the beginning of <em>Trading Places</em>. Then I glimpsed the underside of this lightweight device—with its four omni-discs, each with eight motorized wheels (for a total of 32 wheels)—and realized this was no movie prop.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Titrus.jpg" height="135" width="200" />Titrus III (????) - I think the lack of a page describing this robot confirms that Hirose only did it to show that he could. The shuffling little dinobot may be more cute than practical, but damn if I don't want six of them.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/SMC_planetary.jpg" height="275" width="350" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/spaceprobe/smc/smc_e.html">SMC Rover (1997) </a> - This planetary exploration robot can send its wheeled legs off on autonomous missions, owing to motors and batteries housed in the wheels themselves. It's brilliant and whimsical, but it also reminds me of John Carpenter's <em>The Thing</em> for some reason.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/TAQT.jpg" height="168" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/wheeled/helios1/helios1_e.html">TAQT Carrier (1991)</a> - This mechanical wheelchair is no match for Dean Kamen's pre-Segway one, but it was built many years earlier, and has a rounded styling that reminds me of <em>Star Wars</em>, like it could be found on Tatooine.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Soryu_2.jpg" height="167" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/snake/soryu4/soryu4_e.html">Soryu V (1997)</a> - One set of treads, and a robot can fall on its back as it climbs vertical terrain. Two or three, as in this case, and it's suddenly more adaptable. Here, to prove the point, Hirose shows it on grass and snow.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Roller-Walker.jpg" height="120" width="200" /><a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot/walking/rollerwalker/rollerwalker_e.html">Roller-Walker (1994)</a> - It's a rollerskating robot. A rollerskating robot. It's like Xanadu meets Short Circuit. Somebody call Steve Guttenberg, Olivia Newton-John and Jeff Lynne, pronto.<br clear="all" /></p> <p>More fun with Shigeo Hirose: </p> <p>• <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/06/technology_robot_menagerie/html/1.stm">BBC gallery of his "robot menagerie,"</a> including the wall climbing "Ninja" not included in the video.</p> <p>• <a href="http://www-robot.mes.titech.ac.jp/robot_e.html">Hirose-Fukushima Robotics Lab</a>, website in English </p> <p>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986">Wired for War book on Amazon</a> and <a href="http://wiredforwar.pwsinger.com/">author site</a></p> <p><i>Video montage expertly assembled and edited by our own Mike Byhoff; "Music for a Found Harmonium" and other yodels, airs and preludes by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Preludes-Airs-Yodels-Penguin-Primer/dp/B000SZWWC6/ref=dm_cd_album_lnk_alt">available for MP3 download at Amazon.com</a>.</i></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe Beautiful, Scary Robots of Shigeo Hirosebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5184211/the-beautiful-scary-robots-of-shigeo-hiroserelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5184211/the-beautiful-scary-robots-of-shigeo-hiroseupdatedFri, 27 Mar 2009 12:21:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 27 16:21:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009327162104860titleFirst Look At The Tesla Model S Electric Car's Giant Touchscreen Dashboardwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5185966&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermcarsschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermlcdschemelabeltermmodel sschemelabeltermsschemelabeltermteslaschemelabeltermtesla model s consoleschemelabeltermtesla sschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermtouchscreenschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/teslalcd.jpg" height="535" width="804" />We just a good look at the crazy touchscreen console in the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185498/tesla-model-s-electric-sedan-prototype-has-a-giant-touch-dashboard?skyline=true&s=x">Tesla Model S</a> electric Sedan, the most interesting feature of which is that it has a 3G connection <b>all the time</b>.</p> <p>In addition to that, there's the center console's controls, which are full touchscreen, can manipulate your iPod, Google Maps as well as streaming radio. There's HD, AUX, USB and iPod input to the car, so that covers the major device you'd be able to use too. The current design looks really busy at first glance, but that's probably because the entire console takes the place of what used to be a slew of buttons and knobs and dials.</p> <p></p> <p>The RFID tag is also very interesting. When you walk up to the car, the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/model-s/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged MODEL S">Model S</a> detects your RFID keytag and pops out the handles for you. When you want to start up the car, <b>there's no start button</b>. You just sit there and wait for the car to detect your RFID presence.</p> <p></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJason Chenidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5185966guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/teslalcd.jpg" height="535" width="804" />We just a good look at the crazy touchscreen console in the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5185498/tesla-model-s-electric-sedan-prototype-has-a-giant-touch-dashboard?skyline=true&s=x">Tesla Model S</a> electric Sedan, the most interesting feature of which is that it has a 3G connection <b>all the time</b>.</p> <p>In addition to that, there's the center console's controls, which are full touchscreen, can manipulate your iPod, Google Maps as well as streaming radio. There's HD, AUX, USB and iPod input to the car, so that covers the major device you'd be able to use too. The current design looks really busy at first glance, but that's probably because the entire console takes the place of what used to be a slew of buttons and knobs and dials.</p> <p></p> <p>The RFID tag is also very interesting. When you walk up to the car, the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/model-s/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged MODEL S">Model S</a> detects your RFID keytag and pops out the handles for you. When you want to start up the car, <b>there's no start button</b>. You just sit there and wait for the car to detect your RFID presence.</p> <p></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueFirst Look At The Tesla Model S Electric Car's Giant Touchscreen Dashboardbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5185966/first-look-at-the-tesla-model-s-electric-cars-giant-touchscreen-dashboardrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5185966/first-look-at-the-tesla-model-s-electric-cars-giant-touchscreen-dashboardupdatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 17:38:04 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 26 21:38:04 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009326213843850titleApple WWDC 2009 Dates Set: June 8-12wfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5185648&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermappleschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiPhone 3.0schemelabeltermmacschemelabeltermmac os xschemelabeltermnew iphoneschemelabeltermos xschemelabeltermsnow leopardschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermworldwide developer's conference 2009schemelabeltermwwdc 2009schemelabeltermwwdc09schemelabeltermwwdc2009schemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/wwdc.jpg" height="380" width="804" />Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, where we're likely to see all of <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5184629/apples-os-x-snow-leopard-operating-system-getting-a-darker-marble-user-interface">Snow Leopard's spots</a> and maybe a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/new-iphone/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged NEW IPHONE">new iPhone</a> to go with <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know">iPhone 3.0 OS</a>, will take place from June 8-12. [<a href="http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/">Apple</a> - <em>Thanks <a href="http://justinreid.ca/">Justin</a>!</em>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthormatt buchananidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5185648guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/wwdc.jpg" height="380" width="804" />Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, where we're likely to see all of <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5184629/apples-os-x-snow-leopard-operating-system-getting-a-darker-marble-user-interface">Snow Leopard's spots</a> and maybe a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/new-iphone/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged NEW IPHONE">new iPhone</a> to go with <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know">iPhone 3.0 OS</a>, will take place from June 8-12. [<a href="http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/">Apple</a> - <em>Thanks <a href="http://justinreid.ca/">Justin</a>!</em>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueApple WWDC 2009 Dates Set: June 8-12basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5185648/apple-wwdc-2009-dates-set-june-8+12relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5185648/apple-wwdc-2009-dates-set-june-8+12updatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 14:03:28 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 26 18:03:28 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009326183283850titleWhy Most Gadget Price Comparison Engines Fall Shortwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5182664&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermprof. dealzmodoschemelabeltermcomparison engineschemelabeltermcomparison shoppingschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermgadgetsschemelabelterminternetschemelabelterminternet shoppingschemelabeltermprofessor dealzmodoschemelabeltermshoppingschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/comparison-engines.jpg" height="512" width="804" />If you are a thrifty consumer, you probably already know that using price comparison sites are a great way to save money on gadgets. But I am tired of shopping around for shopping sites.</p> <p>When it comes right down to it, I want to visit one site with a simple selection of core features that are focused on one thing and one thing only—helping me save money.</p> <p><strong>Vendors:</strong> Naturally, every good <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/comparison-engine/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged COMPARISON ENGINE">comparison engine</a> needs to establish relationships with as many reputable vendors as possible. Giants like <a href="http://www.pricegrabber.com/">PriceGrabber</a>, <a href="http://www.shopzilla.com/">Shopzilla</a>, <a href="http://www4.shopping.com/">Shopping.com</a>, and <a href="http://shopping.yahoo.com/">Yahoo Shopping</a> generally meet this requirement.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/coupons-comparison-engines.jpg" height="373" width="618" /><strong>Coupons:</strong> Sites like <a href="http://www.retailmenot.com/">RetailMeNot</a> and <a href="http://www.mycoupons.com/">MyCoupons.com</a> are great, but that data should not be singled out in a standalone site. It should be integrated into standard search results (like Yahoo Shopping).</p> <p><strong>Price Alerts:</strong> Obviously, if I am truly searching for the best deal, I want to be informed when it happens. The tool to set up price alerts should be prominently displayed. <a href="http://www.pricespider.com/">PriceSpider</a> does a good job of this. Sites like <a href="http://www.become.com/">Become.com</a> even offer price drops via email without registration. On the other hand, sites like Shopzilla don't even appear to have the feature—or they hide it behind a registration form. Of course, there are <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10192775-2.html">numerous sites</a> out there like <a href="http://www.zoolert.com/">ZooAlerts</a>, <a href="http://www.pricepinx.com/">PricePinx</a> and <a href="http://camelcamelcamel.com/">Camel Camel Camel</a> that specialize in price alerts, but I don't see much value in those—especially when they are focused entirely on one shopping site like Amazon.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/price-trending.jpg" height="417" width="618" /><strong>Price Trending:</strong> This is one of the new features on the block. Some comparison engines like NexTag and PriceSpider have already done a good job of integrating this feature in with search results, and it could help consumers rate the quality of the current deal by comparing it to prices in the past. Again, there are standalone sites like <a href="http://www.gazaro.com/deals">Gazaro</a> that <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171261/gazaro-logs-gadget-prices-over-time-so-you-dont-get-screwed">specialize in this feature</a>, but as comparison site expert Brian A. Smith from <a href="http://comparisonengines.com/">comparisonengines.com</a> points out, focusing entirely on price alerts and/or price trending is not an ideal strategy:</p> <blockquote> <p>In this economy, any site that can help a consumer find a great deal is going to get some attention, and I think price tracking is a smart concept, but it's nothing new. While the sites you mentioned: Gazaro, Zoolert, and PriceSpider have jazzed things up a bit with a web 2.0 look, price tracking has been available on shopping comparison engines (aka price comparison engines) like NexTag and PriceGrabber for a long time. I think that price alerts are a simple feature. I don't think there is enough meat there to make a real product or business. If you look at Gazaro and Zoolert versus PriceSpider, you'll see that PriceSpider is generating much more traffic. I think this is partly because PriceSpider has ventured beyond just price alerts to shopping comparison engine listings.</p> </blockquote> <p>He also offers a warning:</p> <blockquote> <p>Just because a price tracking site shows you a seemingly great new alert, the buyer should always beware. Most price tracking sites that I've looked at do not have a deep depth of merchants, but are rather just joining some select affiliate programs through Commission Junction or Linkshare. Because of this, a price drop from one merchant might look impressive, but in the end might not actually provide a consumer with a great deal.</p> </blockquote> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/shopzilla.jpg" height="396" width="618" /><strong>A Clean, Usable UI:</strong> With so many details to keep track of, it's not easy to keep things clean. Personally, I have never been a fan of <a href="http://www.nextag.com/">NexTag's</a> layout—it seems kind of text heavy and convoluted to me. On the other hand Shopzilla has taken a more Web 2.0 approach while <a href="http://www.google.com/products">Google Product Search</a> stays true to the Google design mantra. In the end, this is really a matter of preference.</p> <p><strong>User and Expert Reviews:</strong> Another no-brainer. Again, these should be prominently displayed with the product.</p> <p>The bottom line is that on their own, the tools listed above give you only part of the picture—but when used together they can be extremely valuable to consumers. None of the websites I have come across are doing everything right—but I feel that sites like NexTag and PriceSpider are headed in the right direction as far as features are concerned while sites like PriceGrabber, Shopzilla and Yahoo Shopping are still tops in terms of overall effectiveness—a sentiment echoed by our expert from <a href="http://comparisonengines.com/">comparisonengines</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Consumers should make sure to take a look at a shopping behemoth like Shopzilla or Yahoo! Shopping before making a purchase. Yahoo! Shopping has an <a href="http://deals.yahoo.com/coupons">extremely comprehensive deal section</a>, and even better, the site <a href="http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Sony%20KDL-52W4100%20Television:1995563511:page=compare;_ylt=AmhkOrttJ08Xj8v2025H_LYbFt0A?clink=dmps/sony_tv/ctx=mid:6,pid:1995563511,pdid:6,pos:13,spc:14489115,date:20090324,srch:kw,x:">integrates coupons right into shopping comparison engine listings</a> so consumers will have greater transparency into the deal (see the listings for Crutchfield, Tiger Direct, and ABT). So using a site like Yahoo! Shopping provides the consumer with a greater number of merchants, a shopping comparison engine experience (sort by price, rating, etc.), and integrates coupons.</p> </blockquote> <p>Until one site puts all of the pieces together, it will still be necessary to check multiple websites to ensure that you are getting the best deal online. Hopefully, my rant on comparison engines will, at the very least, help you narrow down the search to save both time and money.</p> <p><em><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/prof%27-dealzmodo/">Prof. Dealzmodo</a> is a regular section dedicated to helping budget-minded consumers learn how to shop smarter and get the best deals on their favorite gadgets. If you have any topics you would like to see covered, send your idea to [email protected], with "<a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/professor-dealzmodo/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PROFESSOR DEALZMODO" class="autolink">Professor Dealzmodo</a>" in the subject line.</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorSean Fallonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5182664guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/comparison-engines.jpg" height="512" width="804" />If you are a thrifty consumer, you probably already know that using price comparison sites are a great way to save money on gadgets. But I am tired of shopping around for shopping sites.</p> <p>When it comes right down to it, I want to visit one site with a simple selection of core features that are focused on one thing and one thing only—helping me save money.</p> <p><strong>Vendors:</strong> Naturally, every good <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/comparison-engine/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged COMPARISON ENGINE">comparison engine</a> needs to establish relationships with as many reputable vendors as possible. Giants like <a href="http://www.pricegrabber.com/">PriceGrabber</a>, <a href="http://www.shopzilla.com/">Shopzilla</a>, <a href="http://www4.shopping.com/">Shopping.com</a>, and <a href="http://shopping.yahoo.com/">Yahoo Shopping</a> generally meet this requirement.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/coupons-comparison-engines.jpg" height="373" width="618" /><strong>Coupons:</strong> Sites like <a href="http://www.retailmenot.com/">RetailMeNot</a> and <a href="http://www.mycoupons.com/">MyCoupons.com</a> are great, but that data should not be singled out in a standalone site. It should be integrated into standard search results (like Yahoo Shopping).</p> <p><strong>Price Alerts:</strong> Obviously, if I am truly searching for the best deal, I want to be informed when it happens. The tool to set up price alerts should be prominently displayed. <a href="http://www.pricespider.com/">PriceSpider</a> does a good job of this. Sites like <a href="http://www.become.com/">Become.com</a> even offer price drops via email without registration. On the other hand, sites like Shopzilla don't even appear to have the feature—or they hide it behind a registration form. Of course, there are <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10192775-2.html">numerous sites</a> out there like <a href="http://www.zoolert.com/">ZooAlerts</a>, <a href="http://www.pricepinx.com/">PricePinx</a> and <a href="http://camelcamelcamel.com/">Camel Camel Camel</a> that specialize in price alerts, but I don't see much value in those—especially when they are focused entirely on one shopping site like Amazon.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/price-trending.jpg" height="417" width="618" /><strong>Price Trending:</strong> This is one of the new features on the block. Some comparison engines like NexTag and PriceSpider have already done a good job of integrating this feature in with search results, and it could help consumers rate the quality of the current deal by comparing it to prices in the past. Again, there are standalone sites like <a href="http://www.gazaro.com/deals">Gazaro</a> that <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171261/gazaro-logs-gadget-prices-over-time-so-you-dont-get-screwed">specialize in this feature</a>, but as comparison site expert Brian A. Smith from <a href="http://comparisonengines.com/">comparisonengines.com</a> points out, focusing entirely on price alerts and/or price trending is not an ideal strategy:</p> <blockquote> <p>In this economy, any site that can help a consumer find a great deal is going to get some attention, and I think price tracking is a smart concept, but it's nothing new. While the sites you mentioned: Gazaro, Zoolert, and PriceSpider have jazzed things up a bit with a web 2.0 look, price tracking has been available on shopping comparison engines (aka price comparison engines) like NexTag and PriceGrabber for a long time. I think that price alerts are a simple feature. I don't think there is enough meat there to make a real product or business. If you look at Gazaro and Zoolert versus PriceSpider, you'll see that PriceSpider is generating much more traffic. I think this is partly because PriceSpider has ventured beyond just price alerts to shopping comparison engine listings.</p> </blockquote> <p>He also offers a warning:</p> <blockquote> <p>Just because a price tracking site shows you a seemingly great new alert, the buyer should always beware. Most price tracking sites that I've looked at do not have a deep depth of merchants, but are rather just joining some select affiliate programs through Commission Junction or Linkshare. Because of this, a price drop from one merchant might look impressive, but in the end might not actually provide a consumer with a great deal.</p> </blockquote> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/shopzilla.jpg" height="396" width="618" /><strong>A Clean, Usable UI:</strong> With so many details to keep track of, it's not easy to keep things clean. Personally, I have never been a fan of <a href="http://www.nextag.com/">NexTag's</a> layout—it seems kind of text heavy and convoluted to me. On the other hand Shopzilla has taken a more Web 2.0 approach while <a href="http://www.google.com/products">Google Product Search</a> stays true to the Google design mantra. In the end, this is really a matter of preference.</p> <p><strong>User and Expert Reviews:</strong> Another no-brainer. Again, these should be prominently displayed with the product.</p> <p>The bottom line is that on their own, the tools listed above give you only part of the picture—but when used together they can be extremely valuable to consumers. None of the websites I have come across are doing everything right—but I feel that sites like NexTag and PriceSpider are headed in the right direction as far as features are concerned while sites like PriceGrabber, Shopzilla and Yahoo Shopping are still tops in terms of overall effectiveness—a sentiment echoed by our expert from <a href="http://comparisonengines.com/">comparisonengines</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Consumers should make sure to take a look at a shopping behemoth like Shopzilla or Yahoo! Shopping before making a purchase. Yahoo! Shopping has an <a href="http://deals.yahoo.com/coupons">extremely comprehensive deal section</a>, and even better, the site <a href="http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Sony%20KDL-52W4100%20Television:1995563511:page=compare;_ylt=AmhkOrttJ08Xj8v2025H_LYbFt0A?clink=dmps/sony_tv/ctx=mid:6,pid:1995563511,pdid:6,pos:13,spc:14489115,date:20090324,srch:kw,x:">integrates coupons right into shopping comparison engine listings</a> so consumers will have greater transparency into the deal (see the listings for Crutchfield, Tiger Direct, and ABT). So using a site like Yahoo! Shopping provides the consumer with a greater number of merchants, a shopping comparison engine experience (sort by price, rating, etc.), and integrates coupons.</p> </blockquote> <p>Until one site puts all of the pieces together, it will still be necessary to check multiple websites to ensure that you are getting the best deal online. Hopefully, my rant on comparison engines will, at the very least, help you narrow down the search to save both time and money.</p> <p><em><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/prof%27-dealzmodo/">Prof. Dealzmodo</a> is a regular section dedicated to helping budget-minded consumers learn how to shop smarter and get the best deals on their favorite gadgets. If you have any topics you would like to see covered, send your idea to [email protected], with "<a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/professor-dealzmodo/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PROFESSOR DEALZMODO" class="autolink">Professor Dealzmodo</a>" in the subject line.</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWhy Most Gadget Price Comparison Engines Fall Shortbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182664/why-most-gadget-price-comparison-engines-fall-shortrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182664/why-most-gadget-price-comparison-engines-fall-shortupdatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 26 18:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932618003850titleTesla Model S Electric Sedan Prototype Has a Giant Touch Dashboardwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5185498&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermcarsschemelabeltermautosschemelabeltermbreakingschemelabeltermsedanschemelabeltermtesla model sschemelabeltermtesla sschemelabeltermtesla s sedanschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/tesla1.jpg" height="536" width="804" /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinrose/3387095971/in/set-72157615935626028/">Kevin Rose</a>, the Silicon Valley's John Mayer, just got a few <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/tesla-s/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged TESLA S">Tesla S</a> concept shots leaked to him. The S, <a href="http://www.gizmodo.com/tag/tesla">Tesla's</a> $50,000ish electric 4-door Sedan, is supposed to be unveiled in Los Angeles today.</p> <p></p> <p>What's most interesting to tech enthusiasts is the fact that the middle panel seems to be one gigantic screen. Is it touchscreen? I damn well hope so.</p> <p></p> <p>The pure electric car manufacturer has already delivered <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5135591/tesla-jacks-up-prices-on-customers-who-already-ordered-a-roadster">$100,000 Roadsters</a>, which are <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5091319/what-it-feels-like-to-drive-a-tesla-roadster">fun to drive</a>, but get into accidents easily. (I saw one myself last week.) Even <a href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/5183895/schwarzenegger-wants-to-terminate-his-tesla-roadster">Governor Schwarzenegger</a> wants to return his, but only because he's slightly too big to fit. The S, on the other hand, can be quite an interesting step in electric car design and manufacturing of Tesla actually manages to deliver enough of them to service more than just a niche market.</p> <p>By the way, the price is only $50,000 once you factor in the $7500 in tax credit. It actually starts at a base price of $57,400.</p> <p>By the way, Jalopnik has some great (if a little autosnotty) analysis on what chassis the car <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5185534/tesla-model-s-sedan-concept-first-official-pictures">is built on</a>.<br /> [<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinrose/3387095971/in/set-72157615935626028/">Kevin Rose's Twitter</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJason Chenidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5185498guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/tesla1.jpg" height="536" width="804" /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinrose/3387095971/in/set-72157615935626028/">Kevin Rose</a>, the Silicon Valley's John Mayer, just got a few <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/tesla-s/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged TESLA S">Tesla S</a> concept shots leaked to him. The S, <a href="http://www.gizmodo.com/tag/tesla">Tesla's</a> $50,000ish electric 4-door Sedan, is supposed to be unveiled in Los Angeles today.</p> <p></p> <p>What's most interesting to tech enthusiasts is the fact that the middle panel seems to be one gigantic screen. Is it touchscreen? I damn well hope so.</p> <p></p> <p>The pure electric car manufacturer has already delivered <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5135591/tesla-jacks-up-prices-on-customers-who-already-ordered-a-roadster">$100,000 Roadsters</a>, which are <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5091319/what-it-feels-like-to-drive-a-tesla-roadster">fun to drive</a>, but get into accidents easily. (I saw one myself last week.) Even <a href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/5183895/schwarzenegger-wants-to-terminate-his-tesla-roadster">Governor Schwarzenegger</a> wants to return his, but only because he's slightly too big to fit. The S, on the other hand, can be quite an interesting step in electric car design and manufacturing of Tesla actually manages to deliver enough of them to service more than just a niche market.</p> <p>By the way, the price is only $50,000 once you factor in the $7500 in tax credit. It actually starts at a base price of $57,400.</p> <p>By the way, Jalopnik has some great (if a little autosnotty) analysis on what chassis the car <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5185534/tesla-model-s-sedan-concept-first-official-pictures">is built on</a>.<br /> [<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinrose/3387095971/in/set-72157615935626028/">Kevin Rose's Twitter</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueTesla Model S Electric Sedan Prototype Has a Giant Touch Dashboardbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5185498/tesla-model-s-electric-sedan-prototype-has-a-giant-touch-dashboardrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5185498/tesla-model-s-electric-sedan-prototype-has-a-giant-touch-dashboardupdatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 12:35:24 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 26 16:35:24 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093261635243850titleThe iPhone 3.0 OS Is Not Ready For Everyday Use; Here's How to Downgradewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5184313&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermhow toschemelabelterm2.2.1schemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermcellphonesschemelabeltermguidesschemelabeltermhow-toschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiphone 2.2.1 downgradeschemelabeltermiphone 3.0 OS downgradeschemelabeltermiphone downgradeschemelabeltermiphone firmware downgradeschemelabeltermiPhone OS 3.0schemelabeltermjailbreakschemelabeltermpsaschemelabeltermpublic service announcementschemelabeltermpwnage toolschemelabeltermquickpwnschemelabeltermthe third comingschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermtutorialsschemelabeltermverizonbestmodoschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/backtothefuture.jpg" height="323" width="504" />Lots of us have been using the iPhone 3.0 beta full-time. Now we're rolling back, because it is decidedly NOT ready. Here's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a> downgrade back to 2.2.1 if you are in a similar predicament.</p> <p>Now, we're not saying we're surprised, or angry, or anything. It's beta software, and beta software is <em>by definition</em> not ready for everyday use. But in the pursuit of the latest and greatest thing, we all have learned that a little bit of inconsistency or crashiness is often a fair price to pay for being on the cutting edge.</p> <p>Not so in iPhone 3.0. It's slow as hell, locks up on everything from launching an app to entering a phone number on the numeric keypad, sucks down battery life like an alcoholic who just found his first bottle of MD 20/20 in days, and so on. Add to that a lack of support for MMS as of yet and no apps to take advantage of the background notifications, and you have a fairly useless upgrade, right now. So let's roll it back.</p> <p><strong>Note:</strong> Your iPhone 3.0 OS backups (your phone settings, unsynched photos, text messages, etc) will not be compatible with 2.2.1 once you go back down. So make sure you have a backup from the 2.2.1 days to restore from, or else you'll be starting from scratch.</p> <p><strong>iPhone EDGE</strong><br /> If you're running OS X 10.5.6, you'll need to do the USB DFU fix outlined in <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">our jailbreaking guide</a> before proceeding.</p> <p>1. With your phone plugged in, put it into DFU mode by holding both the power and home buttons for 10 seconds, then releasing power and continuing to hold down home until iTunes recognizes a phone in "recovery mode."</p> <p>2. Download the <a href="http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-5830.20090127.Mmni6/iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw">2.2.1 firmware .ipsw file</a> from Apple. Hold down option (Mac) or shift (Windows) and click on restore. Choose the stock iPhone 2.2.1 file you just downloaded.</p> <p>3. Let it do its thing, and you should be in business. Restore your backup should you have one, and proceed to jailbreaking if you want to.</p> <p><strong>iPhone 3G</strong><br /> On the iPhone 3G, the 3.0 software flashes the baseband (the chip that controls voice and data network traffic), which confuses iTunes when you try to downgrade. So you have to jump through a few more hoops to downgrade your 3G, but it's still easy enough.</p> <p>1. Follow the first two steps above for iPhone EDGE, only using the <a href="http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-5828.20090127.aQLi8/iPhone1,2_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw">iPhone 3G 2.2.1 firmware package</a> of course. Again, OS X 10.5.6 users will have to do the USB driver switcheroo detailed above.</p> <p>2. When it's done restoring, you'll get an error message that looks like this:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_5_03.png" height="194" width="650" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p>As long as it's a four-digit error number like 10xx, don't worry, that's just iTunes telling you it's confused by the updated baseband on your phone. Everything will work fine, but unfortunately your phone will be stuck in restore mode until you jailbreak it, which is what we're doing next.</p> <p>3. <strong>For Mac (Windows users skip to step 8)</strong>: Download a utility called <a href="http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/kindle2/irecovery.zip">iRecovery</a>. This tool forces your phone to reboot out of restore mode, which is necessary for the QuickPwn jailbreak software to recognize it.</p> <p>4. Go to the terminal and change to the iRecovery directory, wherever it is on your system, and type these two commands:</p> <blockquote> <p>chmod 755 libusb-0.1.4.dylib<br /> chmod 755 iRecovery</p> </blockquote> <p>5. Next, copy the "libusb-0.1.4.dylib" file to the /usr/local/lib directory on your machine (you'll have to shift-command-G to go to this folder in Finder).</p> <p>6. And finally, with your iPhone plugged in, go back to Terminal and type:</p> <blockquote> <p>./iRecovery -s</p> </blockquote> <p>You'll get a prompt, where you should then type "fsboot" (no quotes) and hit enter. If nothing happens after 10-15 seconds, type it again and hit enter again. Your phone should boot.</p> <p>7. Download QuickPwn and jailbreak your phone (<a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">see our guide</a> if you need help). Restore your 2.2.1 backup in iTunes, and you should be in business.</p> <p>8. <strong>For Windows</strong>: After you restore to 2.2.1, you can skip straight to running QuickPwn to get your phone up and running.</p> <p>And that's it. Enjoy an iPhone free of horrible slow-downs until summertime. Bigup to the <a href="http://thebigboss.org/2009/03/19/iphone-v30-beta-do-not-use/">tutorial over at thebigboss.org</a>, which was very helpful in this endeavor.</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5184313guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/backtothefuture.jpg" height="323" width="504" />Lots of us have been using the iPhone 3.0 beta full-time. Now we're rolling back, because it is decidedly NOT ready. Here's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a> downgrade back to 2.2.1 if you are in a similar predicament.</p> <p>Now, we're not saying we're surprised, or angry, or anything. It's beta software, and beta software is <em>by definition</em> not ready for everyday use. But in the pursuit of the latest and greatest thing, we all have learned that a little bit of inconsistency or crashiness is often a fair price to pay for being on the cutting edge.</p> <p>Not so in iPhone 3.0. It's slow as hell, locks up on everything from launching an app to entering a phone number on the numeric keypad, sucks down battery life like an alcoholic who just found his first bottle of MD 20/20 in days, and so on. Add to that a lack of support for MMS as of yet and no apps to take advantage of the background notifications, and you have a fairly useless upgrade, right now. So let's roll it back.</p> <p><strong>Note:</strong> Your iPhone 3.0 OS backups (your phone settings, unsynched photos, text messages, etc) will not be compatible with 2.2.1 once you go back down. So make sure you have a backup from the 2.2.1 days to restore from, or else you'll be starting from scratch.</p> <p><strong>iPhone EDGE</strong><br /> If you're running OS X 10.5.6, you'll need to do the USB DFU fix outlined in <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">our jailbreaking guide</a> before proceeding.</p> <p>1. With your phone plugged in, put it into DFU mode by holding both the power and home buttons for 10 seconds, then releasing power and continuing to hold down home until iTunes recognizes a phone in "recovery mode."</p> <p>2. Download the <a href="http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-5830.20090127.Mmni6/iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw">2.2.1 firmware .ipsw file</a> from Apple. Hold down option (Mac) or shift (Windows) and click on restore. Choose the stock iPhone 2.2.1 file you just downloaded.</p> <p>3. Let it do its thing, and you should be in business. Restore your backup should you have one, and proceed to jailbreaking if you want to.</p> <p><strong>iPhone 3G</strong><br /> On the iPhone 3G, the 3.0 software flashes the baseband (the chip that controls voice and data network traffic), which confuses iTunes when you try to downgrade. So you have to jump through a few more hoops to downgrade your 3G, but it's still easy enough.</p> <p>1. Follow the first two steps above for iPhone EDGE, only using the <a href="http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-5828.20090127.aQLi8/iPhone1,2_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw">iPhone 3G 2.2.1 firmware package</a> of course. Again, OS X 10.5.6 users will have to do the USB driver switcheroo detailed above.</p> <p>2. When it's done restoring, you'll get an error message that looks like this:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_5_03.png" height="194" width="650" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p>As long as it's a four-digit error number like 10xx, don't worry, that's just iTunes telling you it's confused by the updated baseband on your phone. Everything will work fine, but unfortunately your phone will be stuck in restore mode until you jailbreak it, which is what we're doing next.</p> <p>3. <strong>For Mac (Windows users skip to step 8)</strong>: Download a utility called <a href="http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/kindle2/irecovery.zip">iRecovery</a>. This tool forces your phone to reboot out of restore mode, which is necessary for the QuickPwn jailbreak software to recognize it.</p> <p>4. Go to the terminal and change to the iRecovery directory, wherever it is on your system, and type these two commands:</p> <blockquote> <p>chmod 755 libusb-0.1.4.dylib<br /> chmod 755 iRecovery</p> </blockquote> <p>5. Next, copy the "libusb-0.1.4.dylib" file to the /usr/local/lib directory on your machine (you'll have to shift-command-G to go to this folder in Finder).</p> <p>6. And finally, with your iPhone plugged in, go back to Terminal and type:</p> <blockquote> <p>./iRecovery -s</p> </blockquote> <p>You'll get a prompt, where you should then type "fsboot" (no quotes) and hit enter. If nothing happens after 10-15 seconds, type it again and hit enter again. Your phone should boot.</p> <p>7. Download QuickPwn and jailbreak your phone (<a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">see our guide</a> if you need help). Restore your 2.2.1 backup in iTunes, and you should be in business.</p> <p>8. <strong>For Windows</strong>: After you restore to 2.2.1, you can skip straight to running QuickPwn to get your phone up and running.</p> <p>And that's it. Enjoy an iPhone free of horrible slow-downs until summertime. Bigup to the <a href="http://thebigboss.org/2009/03/19/iphone-v30-beta-do-not-use/">tutorial over at thebigboss.org</a>, which was very helpful in this endeavor.</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe iPhone 3.0 OS Is Not Ready For Everyday Use; Here's How to Downgradebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5184313/the-iphone-30-os-is-not-ready-for-everyday-use-heres-how-to-downgraderelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5184313/the-iphone-30-os-is-not-ready-for-everyday-use-heres-how-to-downgradeupdatedThu, 26 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 26 15:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932615003850titleGiz Explains: How a Brainy Worm Might Jack the World's PCs on April 1wfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5183751&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermgiz explainsschemelabeltermconfickerschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermhackersschemelabeltermhacksschemelabeltermmalwareschemelabeltermmicrosoftschemelabeltermpcsschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermvirusesschemelabeltermwindowsschemelabeltermwormschemelabeltermwormsschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/virusbig2.jpg" height="552" width="804" />It's lurking in millions of PCs around the world. It's incredibly sophisticated and resilient, with built-in p2p and digital code-signing technology. It revels in killing security software. On April 1, the Conficker worm will activate.</p> <p>The scariest thing about the Conficker worm is that literally millions of infected Windows PCs could be linked together to do its bidding. The second scariest thing is that no one really knows what its creator is going to do with this virtual army on April 1, when it's scheduled to contact a server for instructions. It's so bad, Microsoft has <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/technology/19worm.html?_r=1">a running $250,000 bounty</a> for the author, dead or alive. (Well, they probably want him alive, but they hate his guts.)</p> <p>The <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/the-conficker-worm-april-fools-joke-or-unthinkable-disaster/">New York Times' John Markoff rounded up</a> some of the more ingeniously evil possibilities in a compelling article, the most sinister being a "Dark Google," postulated by University of California at San Diego researcher Stefan Savage, that would let bad people scour zombie machines all around the world for data to sell to other bad people.</p> <p>But let's back up a bit. Conficker—whose weird name is a combination of "configuration" and a slightly more polite word for f***er, <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Conficker">according to Urban Dictionary</a>—actually began life as a lowly, "not very successful" worm in November, says Vincent Weafer, VP at Symantec Security Response. Weafer told us it exploited a Microsoft remote server vulnerability that had already been announced and patched the previous month, so the only systems that were vulnerable were the ones that weren't up to date.</p> <p>The B release, pushed in December, on the other hand, was "wildly successful," says Weafer, infecting millions of unpatched computers because it's an aggressive little bastard—the first worm in years on a scale like Blaster. It has built-in p2p capabilities, and brute forces its way into open shared folders or printers, so it can crawl an office network quickly. It also piggybacks onto USB flash and hard drives. On top of all that, it's designed to be incredibly resilient, killing security software, disabling Windows Update, and digging down deep.</p> <p>The C release came out this past month. It doesn't go after new machines—it's actually a payload for computers already infected with B. It transformed Conficker from a sneezing pandemic into a seriously nasty plague. With C, its p2p powers are extended further, with digital code-signing, so it only accepts trusted code updates from itself. That means security experts can't simply inject code to neutralize it. The patch also made Conficker better at killing security software. And it expanded the scope of the domains it tries to contact for instructions from 250 to 50,000, completely neutralizing security experts' previous tactic of seizing the domains. There's effectively no way to the cut the head off of this demon snake. The stage is set: On April 1, Conficker will reach out for the millions-strong zombienet's next set of instructions.</p> <p>So what will happen? Well, no one knows for sure. Conficker's creator can do whatever he wants with his army. Launch massive denial-of-service attacks, setup the "Dark Google" syndicate, target millions of new machines, or generate a tidal wave of spam that'll crash against servers all over the world.</p> <p>Most likely though, Weafer told us, Conficker's creator is motivated by money—they'll rent it out. And if Conficker's used as a massive doomsday tool, they'll "quickly lose the ability to make money" with it. A low key operation harnessing the power of computers that are mainly located in developing nations may not have a big impact, though it would certainly set a terrible precedent: Whatever Conficker's results, they will lead others to develop this idea in frightening new directions.</p> <p>Conficker's innovative approach that utilizes p2p, code-signing and a distributed domain setup will very possibly serve as inspiration to other malware writers, who Weafer said "you can bet" are watching Conficker's success very closely, just as Conficker's creators have clearly learned from past malware. It's like evil open source.</p> <p>That doesn't mean April 1 will be a "digital Pearl Harbor." If your machine is patched and up to date, the <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/">Microsoft Report's Ed Bott</a> tells us, you'll probably be totally fine. And yes, <a href="http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-011316-0247-99">you can get rid of it</a> if you happen to be infected. There is an outside chance Conficker could turn into a massive parallel computer that borders on self-aware, come April 1, but more than likely, the day will come and go without you noticing anything weird, just some extra spam in your box for some V@ltr3xxx.<br /> <em><br /> Still something you still wanna know? Send any questions about worms, V14GRA, or Jason Chen's pants to [email protected], with "<a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/giz-explains/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged GIZ EXPLAINS" class="autolink">Giz Explains</a>" in the subject line.</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthormatt buchananidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5183751guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/virusbig2.jpg" height="552" width="804" />It's lurking in millions of PCs around the world. It's incredibly sophisticated and resilient, with built-in p2p and digital code-signing technology. It revels in killing security software. On April 1, the Conficker worm will activate.</p> <p>The scariest thing about the Conficker worm is that literally millions of infected Windows PCs could be linked together to do its bidding. The second scariest thing is that no one really knows what its creator is going to do with this virtual army on April 1, when it's scheduled to contact a server for instructions. It's so bad, Microsoft has <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/technology/19worm.html?_r=1">a running $250,000 bounty</a> for the author, dead or alive. (Well, they probably want him alive, but they hate his guts.)</p> <p>The <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/the-conficker-worm-april-fools-joke-or-unthinkable-disaster/">New York Times' John Markoff rounded up</a> some of the more ingeniously evil possibilities in a compelling article, the most sinister being a "Dark Google," postulated by University of California at San Diego researcher Stefan Savage, that would let bad people scour zombie machines all around the world for data to sell to other bad people.</p> <p>But let's back up a bit. Conficker—whose weird name is a combination of "configuration" and a slightly more polite word for f***er, <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Conficker">according to Urban Dictionary</a>—actually began life as a lowly, "not very successful" worm in November, says Vincent Weafer, VP at Symantec Security Response. Weafer told us it exploited a Microsoft remote server vulnerability that had already been announced and patched the previous month, so the only systems that were vulnerable were the ones that weren't up to date.</p> <p>The B release, pushed in December, on the other hand, was "wildly successful," says Weafer, infecting millions of unpatched computers because it's an aggressive little bastard—the first worm in years on a scale like Blaster. It has built-in p2p capabilities, and brute forces its way into open shared folders or printers, so it can crawl an office network quickly. It also piggybacks onto USB flash and hard drives. On top of all that, it's designed to be incredibly resilient, killing security software, disabling Windows Update, and digging down deep.</p> <p>The C release came out this past month. It doesn't go after new machines—it's actually a payload for computers already infected with B. It transformed Conficker from a sneezing pandemic into a seriously nasty plague. With C, its p2p powers are extended further, with digital code-signing, so it only accepts trusted code updates from itself. That means security experts can't simply inject code to neutralize it. The patch also made Conficker better at killing security software. And it expanded the scope of the domains it tries to contact for instructions from 250 to 50,000, completely neutralizing security experts' previous tactic of seizing the domains. There's effectively no way to the cut the head off of this demon snake. The stage is set: On April 1, Conficker will reach out for the millions-strong zombienet's next set of instructions.</p> <p>So what will happen? Well, no one knows for sure. Conficker's creator can do whatever he wants with his army. Launch massive denial-of-service attacks, setup the "Dark Google" syndicate, target millions of new machines, or generate a tidal wave of spam that'll crash against servers all over the world.</p> <p>Most likely though, Weafer told us, Conficker's creator is motivated by money—they'll rent it out. And if Conficker's used as a massive doomsday tool, they'll "quickly lose the ability to make money" with it. A low key operation harnessing the power of computers that are mainly located in developing nations may not have a big impact, though it would certainly set a terrible precedent: Whatever Conficker's results, they will lead others to develop this idea in frightening new directions.</p> <p>Conficker's innovative approach that utilizes p2p, code-signing and a distributed domain setup will very possibly serve as inspiration to other malware writers, who Weafer said "you can bet" are watching Conficker's success very closely, just as Conficker's creators have clearly learned from past malware. It's like evil open source.</p> <p>That doesn't mean April 1 will be a "digital Pearl Harbor." If your machine is patched and up to date, the <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/">Microsoft Report's Ed Bott</a> tells us, you'll probably be totally fine. And yes, <a href="http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-011316-0247-99">you can get rid of it</a> if you happen to be infected. There is an outside chance Conficker could turn into a massive parallel computer that borders on self-aware, come April 1, but more than likely, the day will come and go without you noticing anything weird, just some extra spam in your box for some V@ltr3xxx.<br /> <em><br /> Still something you still wanna know? Send any questions about worms, V14GRA, or Jason Chen's pants to [email protected], with "<a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/giz-explains/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged GIZ EXPLAINS" class="autolink">Giz Explains</a>" in the subject line.</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueGiz Explains: How a Brainy Worm Might Jack the World's PCs on April 1basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5183751/giz-explains-how-a-brainy-worm-might-jack-the-worlds-pcs-on-april-1relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5183751/giz-explains-how-a-brainy-worm-might-jack-the-worlds-pcs-on-april-1updatedWed, 25 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDTupdated_timeWed Mar 25 18:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932518002840titleWii to Support SDHC, Not a Hard Drivewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5183849&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermnintendoschemelabelterm4.0"schemelabeltermconsolesschemelabeltermgamesschemelabeltermgamingschemelabeltermmenuschemelabeltermsdschemelabeltermsd cardsschemelabeltermsdhcschemelabeltermsdhc cardsschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermvideoschemelabeltermwiischemelabeltermwii sdhcschemelabeltermwii storageschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/wii_sdhc_0001.jpg" height="603" width="804" />During Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's GDC keynote today, the company revealed that the Wii will finally get SDHC support (that means compatibility with bigger <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/sd-cards/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SD CARDS">SD cards</a>) through an update that's available now.</p> <p>With the new Wii Menu 4.0 update, you can download content directly from the Wii Shop Channel to your SD/SDHC, and the card will show on the Wii's main menu. You can then open the card to see your content in Channel format (up to 240 SD Channels are supported).</p> <p>Given that the SDHC format <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5165352/first-sdxc-card-is-the-worlds-fastest-only-holds-32gb">reaching 32GB</a> (12GB more than the hard drive in the original Xbox 360), supporting the open standard sounds like a much better solution than a honking standalone box anyway—at least to me. Other thoughts? [<a href="http://kotaku.com/5183222/nintendo-president-satoru-iwatas-gdc-keynote-liveblog-party">Kotaku Liveblog Here</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorMark Wilsonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5183849guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/wii_sdhc_0001.jpg" height="603" width="804" />During Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's GDC keynote today, the company revealed that the Wii will finally get SDHC support (that means compatibility with bigger <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/sd-cards/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged SD CARDS">SD cards</a>) through an update that's available now.</p> <p>With the new Wii Menu 4.0 update, you can download content directly from the Wii Shop Channel to your SD/SDHC, and the card will show on the Wii's main menu. You can then open the card to see your content in Channel format (up to 240 SD Channels are supported).</p> <p>Given that the SDHC format <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5165352/first-sdxc-card-is-the-worlds-fastest-only-holds-32gb">reaching 32GB</a> (12GB more than the hard drive in the original Xbox 360), supporting the open standard sounds like a much better solution than a honking standalone box anyway—at least to me. Other thoughts? [<a href="http://kotaku.com/5183222/nintendo-president-satoru-iwatas-gdc-keynote-liveblog-party">Kotaku Liveblog Here</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWii to Support SDHC, Not a Hard Drivebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5183849/wii-to-support-sdhc-not-a-hard-driverelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5183849/wii-to-support-sdhc-not-a-hard-driveupdatedWed, 25 Mar 2009 12:54:34 EDTupdated_timeWed Mar 25 16:54:34 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093251654342840titleWe Discover the Dark Side of the New iPod Shufflewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5182659&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermhumorschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermclipsschemelabeltermcomedyschemelabeltermipodschemelabeltermipod shuffleschemelabeltermshuffleschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermucbschemelabeltermucbcomedyschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><br clear="all" />The new <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/ipod-shuffle/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPOD SHUFFLE">iPod Shuffle</a> might seem innocent enough, but after having to listen to your music selection hour after hour, even it reaches its breaking point.</p> <p>We teamed up with our friends over at <a href="http://www.ucbcomedy.com">UCBComedy.com</a> to create this, our first original comedic video. It was written by myself and Mark Wilson, directed by <a href="http://www.ucbcomedy.com/talent/view/24">Will Hines</a>, edited by Nate Dern, and stars me. </p> <p>Let us know what you think! Unless you don't like it, in which case keep your opinions to your damn self. We're sensitive. [<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKnI51HOy9w&fmt=22">UCBComedy</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorAdam Frucciidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5182659guidislinkfalsesummary<p><br clear="all" />The new <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/ipod-shuffle/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPOD SHUFFLE">iPod Shuffle</a> might seem innocent enough, but after having to listen to your music selection hour after hour, even it reaches its breaking point.</p> <p>We teamed up with our friends over at <a href="http://www.ucbcomedy.com">UCBComedy.com</a> to create this, our first original comedic video. It was written by myself and Mark Wilson, directed by <a href="http://www.ucbcomedy.com/talent/view/24">Will Hines</a>, edited by Nate Dern, and stars me. </p> <p>Let us know what you think! Unless you don't like it, in which case keep your opinions to your damn self. We're sensitive. [<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKnI51HOy9w&fmt=22">UCBComedy</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueWe Discover the Dark Side of the New iPod Shufflebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182659/we-discover-the-dark-side-of-the-new-ipod-shufflerelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182659/we-discover-the-dark-side-of-the-new-ipod-shuffleupdatedWed, 25 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDTupdated_timeWed Mar 25 15:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932515002840titleCanon EOS Rebel T1i First Hands On: 50D's Sensor, 1080p Vids, $899 (!!)wfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5182772&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermHands-On Previewschemelabelterm50dschemelabelterm5d mark iischemelabeltermbestmodoschemelabeltermcamerasschemelabeltermcanonschemelabeltermCanon EOS Rebel T1ischemelabeltermCanon EOS Rebel T1i hands-onschemelabeltermcanon T1ischemelabeltermdigital slrsschemelabeltermdslrsschemelabeltermeosschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermrebelschemelabeltermrebel T1ischemelabeltermreviewschemelabeltermreviewsschemelabeltermT1ischemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermverizonbestmodoschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237932889318_t1i_handson_12.jpg" height="619" width="804" />The <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5174244/rumor-canon-rebel-eos-500d-to-launch-on-march-25th">rumors were true</a>. Canon has crammed the $1500 <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5041734/canon-eos-50d-official-15+megapixel-prosumer-dslr-is-first-with-digic-4-processor">50D</a>'s sensor <em>and</em> <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/5d-mark-ii">5D-Mark-II</a>-like 1080p video capture into an $899 entry-level Rebel. We ran it through its paces for a few hours, and it's awesome.</p> <p>So what we have here is almost the exact sensor from the 50D—a 15.1 megapixel CMOS with sensitivities up to ISO 12,800 at its top-end H2 boost setting. And almost the exact same HD capture from the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/5d-mark-ii/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged 5D MARK II">5D Mark II</a>—the only change is that 1080p video is captured at 20fps, down from the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/5d-mark-ii/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged 5D MARK II">5D Mark II</a>'s 30fps. You can step down to 720p video at 30fps, though, for the same buttery smoothness we've seen on the 5D Mark II. Other aspects of the video capture mode have actually been improved over the 5D Mark II, which we'll get to in a second.</p> <p></p> <p>But as far as the specs go, it's almost a pure hybrid of the 50D and 5D Mark II, two cameras that are decidedly more pro-leaning, positioned into the top-end of their entry-level Rebels (above the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/395422/canon-eos-digital-rebel-xs-a-great-dslr-for-cost+conscious-noobs">XS</a> and <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/350944/first-canon-eos-digital-rebel-xsi-hands-on-your-xti-is-now-junk">XSi</a>). Crazy stuff:</p> <p>• H.264 video capture @ 1080p/20fps and 720p/30fps with mono sound<br /> <br /> • DIGIC 4 processor<br /> <br /> • Nine-point autofocusing<br /> <br /> • 3.4fps burst shooting for 170 JPEGs or 9 RAW files<br /> <br /> • The 50D's lens peripheral illumination correction<br /> <br /> • Three-inch, 920,000-dot LCD (same as the 5D Mark II's)<br /> <br /> • Built-in sensor dust removal system<br /> <br /> • Live view<br /> <br /> • Canon's "Creative Auto" mode for light exposure tweaks on full-auto<br /> <br /> • Saves to SD/SDHC cards (class 6 or higher recommended)<br /> <br /> • $899 with kit lens, $799 body only, <strong>available early May</strong></p> <p>We had a few hours to shoot photos and video with a pre-production unit of the EOS <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/rebel-t1i/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged REBEL T1I">Rebel T1i</a> in Manhattan, and here's our impressions:</p> <p><strong>Image Quality</strong><br /> <br /> I've never shot with the 50D, but from what I've read, the 50D's sensor is about as big as Canon can and should push an APS-C sensor, megapixels wise, while still preserving image quality and high-ISO performance. When it came out just seven months or so ago, it was found to be a good performer but not significantly better than the 10-megapixel 40D at high-ISO.</p> <p>Here, you're getting effectively the same sensor (Canon says there are a few minor differences that shouldn't effect output in any significant way) for almost half the cost. So while you still won't be on the noise-busting level of the full-frame 5D Mark II, you're going to come mighty close, especially at 1600 and below. Here's a quick unscientific comparision @ ISO 6400:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/t1i_ISOcomp.jpg" height="468" width="804" /></p> <p>And, shots moving through the full ISO range of the T1i, starting at ISO 12,800 (H2) and moving on down to ISO 400:</p> <p></p> <p><strong>Video Capture Mode</strong><br /> <br /> And here's where things get crazy—the T1i's video capture mode is almost exactly the same as the 5D Mark II, short of 10 extra frames per second at 1080p made possible by the 5D's beefier processing power. But still, shooting at 720p will serve most people just fine (and it's as high as you can go on <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5055525/nikon-d90-video-tests-the-good-the-bad-and-the-shaky">Nikon's D90</a>, keep in mind). You do notice the lower framerate at 1080p, especially if you're panning a shot, but for slow-moving subjects, it's not significantly jerky. Some people may even prefer the ability to switch-up frame rates.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237933605328_t1i_handson_6.jpg" height="536" width="804" />But aside from that, everything else from the 5D Mark II is there: the ability to capture stills while video is rolling, the same slow AF system, etc. In fact, the T1i actually makes some improvements over the Mark II—a quick menu summoned via the SET button can change resolution and video settings easily while you're shooting, and the movie capture mode has conveniently been moved to its own spot on the mode dial, rather than only being accessible via live view.</p> <p>Here's our test footage so you can see for yourself (the file below was compressed into a 30fps Flash movie, but you can still see the slight difference in the 20fps 1080p shots):</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/stills/rebel_T1i_test.flv.jpg" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>Buying Decision</strong><br /> <br /> You can't imagine Canon moving a lot of 50Ds once this puppy is out—and that camera was just announced at the end of last summer. So you have to expect Canon is up to something in their mid-range line. But with the T1i, Canon has taken a big lead in the HD capture arms race over Nikon, whose only video-capable camera is the mid-range <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5055525/nikon-d90-video-tests-the-good-the-bad-and-the-shaky">D90</a> which costs a couple hundred bucks more. The resolution advantage is somewhat moot, as most people will opt for 720p @ 30fps over 1080p @ the jerkier 20fps. But here's how everything stacks up, money-wise:<br /> <br /> <strong><br /> <br /> <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged REBEL T1I" class="autolink">Rebel T1i</a></strong>: $899 MSRP with kit EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens, $799 MSRP body only<br /> <br /> <strong>Nikon D90:</strong> $1,149 (street) with kit lens, $889 (street) body only<br /> <br /> <strong>Canon 50D:</strong> $1,389 (street) with kit lens, $1,199 (street) body only</p> <p>So with the T1i, you get a sizable chunk of the more expensive 50D's imaging performance plus an arguably better spec-wise video capture mode than the D90—a pretty sweet deal here at an entry-level price where even the MSRP beats the street price of the 50D and D90 both.</p> <p>We don't want to get too gushy without giving this camera a serious real-world run-through, but as of now, the only major negative we can see is the ridiculous name. T1i? What? Why Canon USA doesn't use its handy three-digit designation for the entry-level Rebels like it does in Europe (where the T1i is known as the 500D, matching with two-digits for the mid-range and single-digits for the pros) I will never know. I think Andre Agassi is to blame.</p> <p>Look for more on this puppy when we've had a chance to really sink our teeth in. </p> <blockquote> <p>CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES THE EOS REBEL T1i DIGITAL SLR CAMERA, THE FIRST REBEL DSLR TO FEATURE HD VIDEO CAPTURE</p> <p>Canon Breaks the $1,000 Mark Again with the First EOS Rebel Camera to Feature<br /> <br /> HD Movie Recording Capabilities, DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and 15.1 Megapixel Resolution</p> <p>LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., March 25, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced a new addition to its Rebel lineup, the EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera, the first in the Rebel line to feature Full HD video capture. The new Canon Rebel T1i SLR incorporates some of the best technologies from the EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II models into an entry-level juggernaut. With a 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and HD video capture, along with the DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, the Rebel T1i gives aspiring photographers plenty of reason to step-up to the latest and greatest model in the Rebel lineup.</p> <p>The new <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/canon-eos-rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CANON EOS REBEL T1I" class="autolink">Canon EOS Rebel T1i</a> raises the entry-level bar with a host of enhanced Canon technologies now available in an entry-level DSLR. Along with the boost in megapixels and Canon's most advanced imaging processor to-date, this latest Rebel camera has also been enhanced with HD video capture, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) monitor and user-friendly functions such as Auto Lighting Optimizer, Creative Auto Mode and Canon's Live View modes, all the right tools to open new doors for imaging enthusiasts. From high-resolution to high-definition, the new EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera helps to give creative consumers a jumpstart on the next evolution in digital imaging.</p> <p>"We are witnessing the emergence of a new phase in digital imaging history, as high-resolution still images and HD video can now both be produced in a hand-held device, for under $1,000. This is truly a great time to be involved in digital imaging as the advent of online communities are helping usher in this next great era in imaging," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.</p> <p>The muscle behind Canon's new EOS Rebel T1i camera is the DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor with 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion and the ability to process full HD video. The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/canon-eos-rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CANON EOS REBEL T1I" class="tagautolink autolink">Canon EOS Rebel T1i</a> Digital SLR offers continuous shooting at 3.4 fps for up to 170 large/fine JPEG images or up to nine RAW images in a single burst when using a class 6 or higher SD or SDHC memory card. Whether capturing wildlife on the run or a child mid-stride on the soccer field, users will appreciate the fast shooting capabilities of the Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera.</p> <p>With the combination of its 15.1-megapixel APS-C size CMOS image sensor and the powerful new DIGIC 4 image processor, the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/canon-eos-rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CANON EOS REBEL T1I" class="autolink">Canon EOS Rebel T1i</a> camera provides ISO speeds from ISO 100 up to ISO 3200 in whole stop increments, along with two additional high-speed ISO settings – H1: 6400 and H2: 12800.</p> <p>The EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR utilizes a precise nine-point Autofocus (AF) system and AF sensor for enhanced subject detection. The new EOS Rebel T1i DSLR provides a cross-type AF measurement at the center that is effective with all EF and EF-S lenses, while providing enhanced precision with lenses having maximum apertures of f/2.8 or faster. The cross-type AF measurement reads a wider variety of subject matter than conventional single-axis AF sensors and thus increases the new camera's ability to autofocus quickly and accurately when shooting still images.</p> <p>The EOS Rebel T1i camera is compatible with Canon's complete line of over 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses, to help provide an incredible variety of visual effects to both still and video imaging capture, including ultra-wide-angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto. This includes all of Canon's large-aperture EF L-series professional lenses.</p> <p>HD and SD Video Capture<br /> <br /> After the introduction of the EOS 5D Mark II in September 2008, the Company's first HD video DSLR, Canon has integrated this must-have feature into the new entry-level flagship EOS Rebel T1i camera. The camera features 16:9 720p HD video capture at 30 fps as well as a Full HD 1080p video capture at 20 fps, and a third option to record 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps. The video capture mode is part of the camera's Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. The camera allows skilled photographers and enthusiasts to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image as well. When recording video, the camera's rear LCD screen is letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size.</p> <p>Like the EOS 5D Mark II model, the EOS Rebel T1i camera will record video up to 4GB per clip equaling approximately 12 minutes of Full HD video, 18 minutes of 720p HD video, or 24 minutes of SD video depending on the level of detail in the scene. Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCM without compression. The camera features a built-in monaural microphone to record sound. To help show off those fantastic movies as well as still photos, the EOS Rebel T1i camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV.</p> <p>Live View Shooting<br /> <br /> Much like the EOS 5D Mark II, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera features Live View for both still images as well as video. The Rebel T1i features the Company's three Live View AF modes – Quick, Live and Face Detection Live mode – which can be used to capture still photos or video images. Quick mode automatically sets One-Shot AF using the camera's phase detection AF system. It also allows users to select the AF point, even while the Live View image is displayed. Although the camera's reflex mirror must be lowered briefly to take an AF measurement in Quick mode, it is the fastest way to set focus automatically when the Rebel T1i camera is set for Live View.</p> <p>Live mode uses contrast-detection AF with the image sensor and here, as with Quick mode, users can change the location of the active AF point using the Multi-controller. Face Detection Live mode uses contrast AF to recognize human faces. When multiple faces are detected, the largest face closest to the center of the frame is targeted as the AF point. While Live View is engaged, users can still change settings including the AF mode (Quick, Live, Face Detection Live mode), drive mode, ISO speed, Picture style, White Balance and more.</p> <p>Auto Lighting Optimizer<br /> <br /> Canon's Auto Lighting Optimizer technology helps ensure that the subject of each picture is clearly visible by analyzing image brightness and automatically adjusting dark areas in images so they appear brighter. This is ideal when shooting high-contrast situations that include harsh shadow areas, such as landscape images where the foreground is brightly lit and the background detail blanketed in dark shadow. In a scene such as this, the EOS Rebel T1i camera's Auto Lighting Optimizer technology maintains exposure of the highlight areas while lightening shadow areas for a more enjoyable and evenly illuminated image. The EOS Rebel T1i also supports Peripheral Illumination Correction for up to 40 Canon EF and EF-S lenses.</p> <p>Canon's Creative Auto Mode<br /> <br /> Canon's "CA" Creative Full Auto setting available on the EOS Rebel T1i, EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II cameras allows users to make image adjustments such as exposure compensation, aperture or shutter speed through a simple navigation screen on the camera's LCD screen, allowing them to "blur the background" or "lighten or darken the image" with ease. These easy-to-understand image options allow learning-photographers to experiment with image options while still shooting in an automatic mode.</p> <p>EOS Integrated Cleaning System<br /> <br /> With the introduction of the EOS Rebel T1i camera, the entire Canon EOS system is now equipped with the highly acclaimed EOS Integrated Cleaning System. The Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit for the Canon EOS Rebel T1i has been upgraded with a fluorine coating on the low-pass filter for better dust resistance.</p> <p>Pricing and Availability<br /> <br /> The Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera is scheduled for delivery by early May and will be sold in a body-only configuration which includes a rechargeable battery pack and charger, USB and video cables, a neckstrap, an EOS Solutions Disk CD and a 1-year Canon U.S.A., Inc. limited warranty at an estimated retail price of $799.99 . It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon's EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99 .</p> </blockquote>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5182772guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237932889318_t1i_handson_12.jpg" height="619" width="804" />The <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5174244/rumor-canon-rebel-eos-500d-to-launch-on-march-25th">rumors were true</a>. Canon has crammed the $1500 <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5041734/canon-eos-50d-official-15+megapixel-prosumer-dslr-is-first-with-digic-4-processor">50D</a>'s sensor <em>and</em> <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/5d-mark-ii">5D-Mark-II</a>-like 1080p video capture into an $899 entry-level Rebel. We ran it through its paces for a few hours, and it's awesome.</p> <p>So what we have here is almost the exact sensor from the 50D—a 15.1 megapixel CMOS with sensitivities up to ISO 12,800 at its top-end H2 boost setting. And almost the exact same HD capture from the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/5d-mark-ii/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged 5D MARK II">5D Mark II</a>—the only change is that 1080p video is captured at 20fps, down from the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/5d-mark-ii/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged 5D MARK II">5D Mark II</a>'s 30fps. You can step down to 720p video at 30fps, though, for the same buttery smoothness we've seen on the 5D Mark II. Other aspects of the video capture mode have actually been improved over the 5D Mark II, which we'll get to in a second.</p> <p></p> <p>But as far as the specs go, it's almost a pure hybrid of the 50D and 5D Mark II, two cameras that are decidedly more pro-leaning, positioned into the top-end of their entry-level Rebels (above the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/395422/canon-eos-digital-rebel-xs-a-great-dslr-for-cost+conscious-noobs">XS</a> and <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/350944/first-canon-eos-digital-rebel-xsi-hands-on-your-xti-is-now-junk">XSi</a>). Crazy stuff:</p> <p>• H.264 video capture @ 1080p/20fps and 720p/30fps with mono sound<br /> <br /> • DIGIC 4 processor<br /> <br /> • Nine-point autofocusing<br /> <br /> • 3.4fps burst shooting for 170 JPEGs or 9 RAW files<br /> <br /> • The 50D's lens peripheral illumination correction<br /> <br /> • Three-inch, 920,000-dot LCD (same as the 5D Mark II's)<br /> <br /> • Built-in sensor dust removal system<br /> <br /> • Live view<br /> <br /> • Canon's "Creative Auto" mode for light exposure tweaks on full-auto<br /> <br /> • Saves to SD/SDHC cards (class 6 or higher recommended)<br /> <br /> • $899 with kit lens, $799 body only, <strong>available early May</strong></p> <p>We had a few hours to shoot photos and video with a pre-production unit of the EOS <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/rebel-t1i/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged REBEL T1I">Rebel T1i</a> in Manhattan, and here's our impressions:</p> <p><strong>Image Quality</strong><br /> <br /> I've never shot with the 50D, but from what I've read, the 50D's sensor is about as big as Canon can and should push an APS-C sensor, megapixels wise, while still preserving image quality and high-ISO performance. When it came out just seven months or so ago, it was found to be a good performer but not significantly better than the 10-megapixel 40D at high-ISO.</p> <p>Here, you're getting effectively the same sensor (Canon says there are a few minor differences that shouldn't effect output in any significant way) for almost half the cost. So while you still won't be on the noise-busting level of the full-frame 5D Mark II, you're going to come mighty close, especially at 1600 and below. Here's a quick unscientific comparision @ ISO 6400:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/t1i_ISOcomp.jpg" height="468" width="804" /></p> <p>And, shots moving through the full ISO range of the T1i, starting at ISO 12,800 (H2) and moving on down to ISO 400:</p> <p></p> <p><strong>Video Capture Mode</strong><br /> <br /> And here's where things get crazy—the T1i's video capture mode is almost exactly the same as the 5D Mark II, short of 10 extra frames per second at 1080p made possible by the 5D's beefier processing power. But still, shooting at 720p will serve most people just fine (and it's as high as you can go on <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5055525/nikon-d90-video-tests-the-good-the-bad-and-the-shaky">Nikon's D90</a>, keep in mind). You do notice the lower framerate at 1080p, especially if you're panning a shot, but for slow-moving subjects, it's not significantly jerky. Some people may even prefer the ability to switch-up frame rates.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237933605328_t1i_handson_6.jpg" height="536" width="804" />But aside from that, everything else from the 5D Mark II is there: the ability to capture stills while video is rolling, the same slow AF system, etc. In fact, the T1i actually makes some improvements over the Mark II—a quick menu summoned via the SET button can change resolution and video settings easily while you're shooting, and the movie capture mode has conveniently been moved to its own spot on the mode dial, rather than only being accessible via live view.</p> <p>Here's our test footage so you can see for yourself (the file below was compressed into a 30fps Flash movie, but you can still see the slight difference in the 20fps 1080p shots):</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/stills/rebel_T1i_test.flv.jpg" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>Buying Decision</strong><br /> <br /> You can't imagine Canon moving a lot of 50Ds once this puppy is out—and that camera was just announced at the end of last summer. So you have to expect Canon is up to something in their mid-range line. But with the T1i, Canon has taken a big lead in the HD capture arms race over Nikon, whose only video-capable camera is the mid-range <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5055525/nikon-d90-video-tests-the-good-the-bad-and-the-shaky">D90</a> which costs a couple hundred bucks more. The resolution advantage is somewhat moot, as most people will opt for 720p @ 30fps over 1080p @ the jerkier 20fps. But here's how everything stacks up, money-wise:<br /> <br /> <strong><br /> <br /> <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged REBEL T1I" class="autolink">Rebel T1i</a></strong>: $899 MSRP with kit EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens, $799 MSRP body only<br /> <br /> <strong>Nikon D90:</strong> $1,149 (street) with kit lens, $889 (street) body only<br /> <br /> <strong>Canon 50D:</strong> $1,389 (street) with kit lens, $1,199 (street) body only</p> <p>So with the T1i, you get a sizable chunk of the more expensive 50D's imaging performance plus an arguably better spec-wise video capture mode than the D90—a pretty sweet deal here at an entry-level price where even the MSRP beats the street price of the 50D and D90 both.</p> <p>We don't want to get too gushy without giving this camera a serious real-world run-through, but as of now, the only major negative we can see is the ridiculous name. T1i? What? Why Canon USA doesn't use its handy three-digit designation for the entry-level Rebels like it does in Europe (where the T1i is known as the 500D, matching with two-digits for the mid-range and single-digits for the pros) I will never know. I think Andre Agassi is to blame.</p> <p>Look for more on this puppy when we've had a chance to really sink our teeth in. </p> <blockquote> <p>CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES THE EOS REBEL T1i DIGITAL SLR CAMERA, THE FIRST REBEL DSLR TO FEATURE HD VIDEO CAPTURE</p> <p>Canon Breaks the $1,000 Mark Again with the First EOS Rebel Camera to Feature<br /> <br /> HD Movie Recording Capabilities, DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and 15.1 Megapixel Resolution</p> <p>LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., March 25, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced a new addition to its Rebel lineup, the EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera, the first in the Rebel line to feature Full HD video capture. The new Canon Rebel T1i SLR incorporates some of the best technologies from the EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II models into an entry-level juggernaut. With a 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and HD video capture, along with the DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, the Rebel T1i gives aspiring photographers plenty of reason to step-up to the latest and greatest model in the Rebel lineup.</p> <p>The new <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/canon-eos-rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CANON EOS REBEL T1I" class="autolink">Canon EOS Rebel T1i</a> raises the entry-level bar with a host of enhanced Canon technologies now available in an entry-level DSLR. Along with the boost in megapixels and Canon's most advanced imaging processor to-date, this latest Rebel camera has also been enhanced with HD video capture, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) monitor and user-friendly functions such as Auto Lighting Optimizer, Creative Auto Mode and Canon's Live View modes, all the right tools to open new doors for imaging enthusiasts. From high-resolution to high-definition, the new EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera helps to give creative consumers a jumpstart on the next evolution in digital imaging.</p> <p>"We are witnessing the emergence of a new phase in digital imaging history, as high-resolution still images and HD video can now both be produced in a hand-held device, for under $1,000. This is truly a great time to be involved in digital imaging as the advent of online communities are helping usher in this next great era in imaging," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.</p> <p>The muscle behind Canon's new EOS Rebel T1i camera is the DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor with 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion and the ability to process full HD video. The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/canon-eos-rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CANON EOS REBEL T1I" class="tagautolink autolink">Canon EOS Rebel T1i</a> Digital SLR offers continuous shooting at 3.4 fps for up to 170 large/fine JPEG images or up to nine RAW images in a single burst when using a class 6 or higher SD or SDHC memory card. Whether capturing wildlife on the run or a child mid-stride on the soccer field, users will appreciate the fast shooting capabilities of the Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera.</p> <p>With the combination of its 15.1-megapixel APS-C size CMOS image sensor and the powerful new DIGIC 4 image processor, the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/canon-eos-rebel-t1i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CANON EOS REBEL T1I" class="autolink">Canon EOS Rebel T1i</a> camera provides ISO speeds from ISO 100 up to ISO 3200 in whole stop increments, along with two additional high-speed ISO settings – H1: 6400 and H2: 12800.</p> <p>The EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR utilizes a precise nine-point Autofocus (AF) system and AF sensor for enhanced subject detection. The new EOS Rebel T1i DSLR provides a cross-type AF measurement at the center that is effective with all EF and EF-S lenses, while providing enhanced precision with lenses having maximum apertures of f/2.8 or faster. The cross-type AF measurement reads a wider variety of subject matter than conventional single-axis AF sensors and thus increases the new camera's ability to autofocus quickly and accurately when shooting still images.</p> <p>The EOS Rebel T1i camera is compatible with Canon's complete line of over 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses, to help provide an incredible variety of visual effects to both still and video imaging capture, including ultra-wide-angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto. This includes all of Canon's large-aperture EF L-series professional lenses.</p> <p>HD and SD Video Capture<br /> <br /> After the introduction of the EOS 5D Mark II in September 2008, the Company's first HD video DSLR, Canon has integrated this must-have feature into the new entry-level flagship EOS Rebel T1i camera. The camera features 16:9 720p HD video capture at 30 fps as well as a Full HD 1080p video capture at 20 fps, and a third option to record 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps. The video capture mode is part of the camera's Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. The camera allows skilled photographers and enthusiasts to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image as well. When recording video, the camera's rear LCD screen is letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size.</p> <p>Like the EOS 5D Mark II model, the EOS Rebel T1i camera will record video up to 4GB per clip equaling approximately 12 minutes of Full HD video, 18 minutes of 720p HD video, or 24 minutes of SD video depending on the level of detail in the scene. Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCM without compression. The camera features a built-in monaural microphone to record sound. To help show off those fantastic movies as well as still photos, the EOS Rebel T1i camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV.</p> <p>Live View Shooting<br /> <br /> Much like the EOS 5D Mark II, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera features Live View for both still images as well as video. The Rebel T1i features the Company's three Live View AF modes – Quick, Live and Face Detection Live mode – which can be used to capture still photos or video images. Quick mode automatically sets One-Shot AF using the camera's phase detection AF system. It also allows users to select the AF point, even while the Live View image is displayed. Although the camera's reflex mirror must be lowered briefly to take an AF measurement in Quick mode, it is the fastest way to set focus automatically when the Rebel T1i camera is set for Live View.</p> <p>Live mode uses contrast-detection AF with the image sensor and here, as with Quick mode, users can change the location of the active AF point using the Multi-controller. Face Detection Live mode uses contrast AF to recognize human faces. When multiple faces are detected, the largest face closest to the center of the frame is targeted as the AF point. While Live View is engaged, users can still change settings including the AF mode (Quick, Live, Face Detection Live mode), drive mode, ISO speed, Picture style, White Balance and more.</p> <p>Auto Lighting Optimizer<br /> <br /> Canon's Auto Lighting Optimizer technology helps ensure that the subject of each picture is clearly visible by analyzing image brightness and automatically adjusting dark areas in images so they appear brighter. This is ideal when shooting high-contrast situations that include harsh shadow areas, such as landscape images where the foreground is brightly lit and the background detail blanketed in dark shadow. In a scene such as this, the EOS Rebel T1i camera's Auto Lighting Optimizer technology maintains exposure of the highlight areas while lightening shadow areas for a more enjoyable and evenly illuminated image. The EOS Rebel T1i also supports Peripheral Illumination Correction for up to 40 Canon EF and EF-S lenses.</p> <p>Canon's Creative Auto Mode<br /> <br /> Canon's "CA" Creative Full Auto setting available on the EOS Rebel T1i, EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II cameras allows users to make image adjustments such as exposure compensation, aperture or shutter speed through a simple navigation screen on the camera's LCD screen, allowing them to "blur the background" or "lighten or darken the image" with ease. These easy-to-understand image options allow learning-photographers to experiment with image options while still shooting in an automatic mode.</p> <p>EOS Integrated Cleaning System<br /> <br /> With the introduction of the EOS Rebel T1i camera, the entire Canon EOS system is now equipped with the highly acclaimed EOS Integrated Cleaning System. The Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit for the Canon EOS Rebel T1i has been upgraded with a fluorine coating on the low-pass filter for better dust resistance.</p> <p>Pricing and Availability<br /> <br /> The Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera is scheduled for delivery by early May and will be sold in a body-only configuration which includes a rechargeable battery pack and charger, USB and video cables, a neckstrap, an EOS Solutions Disk CD and a 1-year Canon U.S.A., Inc. limited warranty at an estimated retail price of $799.99 . It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon's EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99 .</p> </blockquote>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueCanon EOS Rebel T1i First Hands On: 50D's Sensor, 1080p Vids, $899 (!!)basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182772/canon-eos-rebel-t1i-first-hands-on-50ds-sensor-1080p-vids-899-relalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182772/canon-eos-rebel-t1i-first-hands-on-50ds-sensor-1080p-vids-899-updatedWed, 25 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EDTupdated_timeWed Mar 25 04:01:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed20093254102840titleSpacebat RIP: Here's Who Else We'd Launch Into Spacewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5182188&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermphotoshop contestschemelabeltermcontestsschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermgalleryschemelabeltermphotoshopschemelabeltermspaceschemelabeltermspacebatschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/spacepshoptop.jpg" height="400" width="760" />For this week's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/photoshop-contest/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PHOTOSHOP CONTEST">Photoshop Contest</a>, we asked you to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5176885/send-someone-or-some-thing-into-space">depict more people and things being tossed into space</a> in honor of <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5173385/shuttle+riding-bat-dies-the-most-glorious-death-imaginable">Spacebat</a>. You didn't disappoint.</p> <p><b>First Place</b> — Greg Gatarz<br /> <img class="center" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/GregGatarz.jpg" height="639" width="612" /><b>Second Place</b> — Chariot is drawn by a horse<br /> <img class="center" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Chariotisdrawnbyahorse.jpg" height="375" width="500" /><b>Third Place</b> — Howard Suissa<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/howardSuissa.jpg" height="531" width="804" /></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorAdam Frucciidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5182188guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/spacepshoptop.jpg" height="400" width="760" />For this week's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/photoshop-contest/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PHOTOSHOP CONTEST">Photoshop Contest</a>, we asked you to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5176885/send-someone-or-some-thing-into-space">depict more people and things being tossed into space</a> in honor of <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5173385/shuttle+riding-bat-dies-the-most-glorious-death-imaginable">Spacebat</a>. You didn't disappoint.</p> <p><b>First Place</b> — Greg Gatarz<br /> <img class="center" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/GregGatarz.jpg" height="639" width="612" /><b>Second Place</b> — Chariot is drawn by a horse<br /> <img class="center" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Chariotisdrawnbyahorse.jpg" height="375" width="500" /><b>Third Place</b> — Howard Suissa<br /> <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/howardSuissa.jpg" height="531" width="804" /></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueSpacebat RIP: Here's Who Else We'd Launch Into Spacebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182188/spacebat-rip-heres-who-else-wed-launch-into-spacerelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5182188/spacebat-rip-heres-who-else-wed-launch-into-spaceupdatedTue, 24 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDTupdated_timeTue Mar 24 18:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932418001830titleUnmanned Warbots of WWI and WWIIwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5181576&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermwired for war specialschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermremote controlschemelabeltermretromodoschemelabeltermrobotsschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermunmannedschemelabeltermwarbotsschemelabeltermworld war ischemelabeltermworld war iischemelabeltermwwischemelabeltermwwiischemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Nazi_robot_not_a_drone.jpg" height="372" width="504" />Long before Predator drones and PackBots patrolled Iraq and Afghanistan, unmanned systems were used in combat—as far back as WWI and WWII, in fact. Here's a quick look at the coolest of the old-timey warbots:</p> <p>While reading PW Singer's <i>Wired for War</i>, I was surprised by the ingenuity on both sides in coming up with unmanned—and even radio-controlled—machines that were occasionally actually used during the two biggies. I've highlighted six, plus an exceptional example of early computer intelligence, that are all covered at some length in the book.</p> <p>(If you're skimming this, just be sure to watch the second YouTube video below.)</p> <p><b><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/world-war-i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged WORLD WAR I" class="autolink">WORLD WAR I</a></b></p> <p><strong>FL-7 remote-controlled boat (1916)</strong> - <i>Sadly unpictured</i> - These German "sprengbootes" carried 300lbs. of explosives and were tethered by 50-mile wire to a dude on shore, sitting in a tower 50 feet up. The controller was too vulnerable perhaps, because they soon moved him into an airplane buzzing overhead, still trailing that long-ass cable.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Tesla_boat.jpg" vspace="2" height="214" hspace="4" align="right" width="300" />Ultimately, they decided to do like <a href="http://naval-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_robot_boat_of_nikola_tesla">Nikolai Tesla did in 1898 at Madison Square Garden with his little motorboat</a> (seen at right), and go R/C. More info on the <a href="http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/147397">World War II version of the FL</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Sopwith_AT.jpg" height="241" width="300" /><strong>Sopwith AT "Aerial Torpedo" (1917)</strong> - Maker of Snoopy's famous Sopwith Camel biplane decided that it was possible to do the same thing, only radio controlled and full of explosives, call it the "Aerial Torpedo" and steer it into German Zeppelins. Trouble was, on its test flight, it tried to dive bomb a gathering of generals instead. Whoopsie. More info on the <a href="http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/rpav_britain.html">Sopwith AT</a>, and another remote controlled plane of the era, the <a href="http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/147397">Queen Bee Tiger Moth</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Land_Torpedo_01.jpg" height="165" width="300" /><strong>Wickersham Land Torpedo (1917)</strong> - Another ill-fated warbot, this one was startlingly close in looks to the PackBots of today, with its two tank treads. But instead of a sophisticated computer brain, this one packed 1,000 pounds of explosive and a rudimentary <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/remote-control/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged REMOTE CONTROL">remote control</a>. Unfortunately for people who like big booms, it never went into production. More information on <a href="http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=63528&p=3&topicID=6422891&commentPage=0">that and more "unknown" tanks here</a>, <a href="http://www.jedsite.info/engineer-whiskey/whiskey/misc/wickersham-land-torpedo/wlt-intro.html">sketch here</a> and <a href="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f209/a7v/Mineclearer.jpg">photo here</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><b><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/world-war-ii/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged WORLD WAR II" class="autolink">WORLD WAR II</a></b></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Dennymite.jpg" height="238" width="451" /><strong>OQ-2 Radioplane aka "Dennymite" (1935)</strong> - Actor and World War I hero <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219666/maindetails">Reginald Denny</a> opened a hobby shop in the 1930s, and when the specter of World War II loomed, he introduced army personnel to their first target drone, the RP-1. They were impressed, and after several modifications and name changes, Denny was making them by the thousands at an airport in Van Nuys. (As fate would have it, it was at Denny's factory in 1944 that an army photographer spotted a super hot Rosie the Riveter named Norma Jeane, who soon went platinum blonde and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.) More information on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OQ-2_Radioplane">OQ-2 and Marilyn Monroe's discovery</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <strong>Fritz X guided bomb (1939)</strong> - Another specialty from Germany—the people who brought you the better known "buzzbombs," this one was pretty much a straight-up bomb, but it had radio-controlled fins, so it wasn't exactly smart, but it weren't dumb neither. More info on Fritz <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_X">here</a> and <a href="http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=100015">here</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <strong>Goliath remote-controlled tank buster (1940)</strong> - If the Germans had time to work on their tank skills between the wars, they also had a little time to hone the tank-killing 'bot. The Goliath has the same classic look as the American Land Torpedo, but managed to be far more effective. This startlingly vivid clip shows actual footage of Germans—sometime during the last gasps of the Nazi regime—steering one into a tank to blow it up.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Norden_Bomb_Sight.jpg" height="410" width="300" /><strong>Norden bomb sight (1932)</strong> - If the unmanned vehicles above represent prototypes in the body designs we see in today's land, air and sea robots, the Norden bomb sight was the precursor to their cold, calculating brains.</p> <p>A telescope would pick out a single spot on the ground, a series of gyroscopes and motors would hold that spot in sight, an analog computer would figure out the trajectory of the bombs needed to hit the target, and the whole thing would engage the plane's autopilot to make sure the bombing went down as planned. You don't have to read <i>Catch-22</i> to know that, on bombing runs, nothing ever really went as planned, but the Norden was the closest they had to AI back in WWII, and there's a reason it was said to "put a bomb in a pickle barrel from 20,000 feet" (even if that's not going to do the bomb or the pickle barrel any good). More info <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norden_bombsight">here</a> and <a href="http://www.google.com/archivesearch?q=norden+bomb+sight&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&scoring=t&ei=NmvISfumAtzunQfJ7amRAw&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&resnum=12&ct=title">here</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p>War nerds, please fill in the comments with your own knowledge of the above unmanned metal-and-gear beasts, or any other favorite ones I might have skipped, and so help me the first commenter to say "These are not robots" gets banned for stating the obvious, and being kind of a wiener about it.</p> <p><i>If you haven't yet read through our interview with</i> Wired For War<i>'s PW Singer, <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180363/wired-for-war-author-explains-revolution-in-robotics-scares-crap-out-of-us">have a look</a>. And stay tuned for more exciting nuggets of info <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237821874&sr=8-1">from the book</a>, a trove of robot trivia not to mention a chilling portrayal of how robots have already infiltrated our military.</i></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorWilson Rothmanidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5181576guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Nazi_robot_not_a_drone.jpg" height="372" width="504" />Long before Predator drones and PackBots patrolled Iraq and Afghanistan, unmanned systems were used in combat—as far back as WWI and WWII, in fact. Here's a quick look at the coolest of the old-timey warbots:</p> <p>While reading PW Singer's <i>Wired for War</i>, I was surprised by the ingenuity on both sides in coming up with unmanned—and even radio-controlled—machines that were occasionally actually used during the two biggies. I've highlighted six, plus an exceptional example of early computer intelligence, that are all covered at some length in the book.</p> <p>(If you're skimming this, just be sure to watch the second YouTube video below.)</p> <p><b><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/world-war-i/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged WORLD WAR I" class="autolink">WORLD WAR I</a></b></p> <p><strong>FL-7 remote-controlled boat (1916)</strong> - <i>Sadly unpictured</i> - These German "sprengbootes" carried 300lbs. of explosives and were tethered by 50-mile wire to a dude on shore, sitting in a tower 50 feet up. The controller was too vulnerable perhaps, because they soon moved him into an airplane buzzing overhead, still trailing that long-ass cable.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Tesla_boat.jpg" vspace="2" height="214" hspace="4" align="right" width="300" />Ultimately, they decided to do like <a href="http://naval-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_robot_boat_of_nikola_tesla">Nikolai Tesla did in 1898 at Madison Square Garden with his little motorboat</a> (seen at right), and go R/C. More info on the <a href="http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/147397">World War II version of the FL</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Sopwith_AT.jpg" height="241" width="300" /><strong>Sopwith AT "Aerial Torpedo" (1917)</strong> - Maker of Snoopy's famous Sopwith Camel biplane decided that it was possible to do the same thing, only radio controlled and full of explosives, call it the "Aerial Torpedo" and steer it into German Zeppelins. Trouble was, on its test flight, it tried to dive bomb a gathering of generals instead. Whoopsie. More info on the <a href="http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/rpav_britain.html">Sopwith AT</a>, and another remote controlled plane of the era, the <a href="http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/147397">Queen Bee Tiger Moth</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Land_Torpedo_01.jpg" height="165" width="300" /><strong>Wickersham Land Torpedo (1917)</strong> - Another ill-fated warbot, this one was startlingly close in looks to the PackBots of today, with its two tank treads. But instead of a sophisticated computer brain, this one packed 1,000 pounds of explosive and a rudimentary <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/remote-control/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged REMOTE CONTROL">remote control</a>. Unfortunately for people who like big booms, it never went into production. More information on <a href="http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=63528&p=3&topicID=6422891&commentPage=0">that and more "unknown" tanks here</a>, <a href="http://www.jedsite.info/engineer-whiskey/whiskey/misc/wickersham-land-torpedo/wlt-intro.html">sketch here</a> and <a href="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f209/a7v/Mineclearer.jpg">photo here</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><b><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/world-war-ii/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged WORLD WAR II" class="autolink">WORLD WAR II</a></b></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Dennymite.jpg" height="238" width="451" /><strong>OQ-2 Radioplane aka "Dennymite" (1935)</strong> - Actor and World War I hero <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219666/maindetails">Reginald Denny</a> opened a hobby shop in the 1930s, and when the specter of World War II loomed, he introduced army personnel to their first target drone, the RP-1. They were impressed, and after several modifications and name changes, Denny was making them by the thousands at an airport in Van Nuys. (As fate would have it, it was at Denny's factory in 1944 that an army photographer spotted a super hot Rosie the Riveter named Norma Jeane, who soon went platinum blonde and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.) More information on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OQ-2_Radioplane">OQ-2 and Marilyn Monroe's discovery</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <strong>Fritz X guided bomb (1939)</strong> - Another specialty from Germany—the people who brought you the better known "buzzbombs," this one was pretty much a straight-up bomb, but it had radio-controlled fins, so it wasn't exactly smart, but it weren't dumb neither. More info on Fritz <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_X">here</a> and <a href="http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=100015">here</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p> <strong>Goliath remote-controlled tank buster (1940)</strong> - If the Germans had time to work on their tank skills between the wars, they also had a little time to hone the tank-killing 'bot. The Goliath has the same classic look as the American Land Torpedo, but managed to be far more effective. This startlingly vivid clip shows actual footage of Germans—sometime during the last gasps of the Nazi regime—steering one into a tank to blow it up.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Norden_Bomb_Sight.jpg" height="410" width="300" /><strong>Norden bomb sight (1932)</strong> - If the unmanned vehicles above represent prototypes in the body designs we see in today's land, air and sea robots, the Norden bomb sight was the precursor to their cold, calculating brains.</p> <p>A telescope would pick out a single spot on the ground, a series of gyroscopes and motors would hold that spot in sight, an analog computer would figure out the trajectory of the bombs needed to hit the target, and the whole thing would engage the plane's autopilot to make sure the bombing went down as planned. You don't have to read <i>Catch-22</i> to know that, on bombing runs, nothing ever really went as planned, but the Norden was the closest they had to AI back in WWII, and there's a reason it was said to "put a bomb in a pickle barrel from 20,000 feet" (even if that's not going to do the bomb or the pickle barrel any good). More info <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norden_bombsight">here</a> and <a href="http://www.google.com/archivesearch?q=norden+bomb+sight&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&scoring=t&ei=NmvISfumAtzunQfJ7amRAw&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&resnum=12&ct=title">here</a>.<br clear="all" /></p> <p>War nerds, please fill in the comments with your own knowledge of the above unmanned metal-and-gear beasts, or any other favorite ones I might have skipped, and so help me the first commenter to say "These are not robots" gets banned for stating the obvious, and being kind of a wiener about it.</p> <p><i>If you haven't yet read through our interview with</i> Wired For War<i>'s PW Singer, <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5180363/wired-for-war-author-explains-revolution-in-robotics-scares-crap-out-of-us">have a look</a>. And stay tuned for more exciting nuggets of info <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237821874&sr=8-1">from the book</a>, a trove of robot trivia not to mention a chilling portrayal of how robots have already infiltrated our military.</i></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueUnmanned Warbots of WWI and WWIIbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5181576/unmanned-warbots-of-wwi-and-wwiirelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5181576/unmanned-warbots-of-wwi-and-wwiiupdatedTue, 24 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDTupdated_timeTue Mar 24 16:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932416001830title<i>Wired for War</i>: Author Explains Revolution in Robotics, Scares Crap Out of Uswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5180363&view=rssµfeed=truetagsterminterviewschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermpw singerschemelabeltermrobotsschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermwired for warschemelabeltermwired for war specialschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/MQ-9_Afghanistan_takeoff.jpg" height="255" width="804" />If you shrug off <i>Terminator</i> and <i>Battlestar Galactica</i> as never-gonna-happen impossibilities, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/pw-singer/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PW SINGER">PW Singer</a> has news for you. His spine-tingling book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237821874&sr=8-1">Wired For War</a></i>, carefully explains the robotics revolution that's gripped our military since 9/11.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Singer_with_Wakamura.jpg" height="276" width="223" />If you believe Singer (shown at left with an unarmed robot), the biggest revolution happening in the world today is the one taking place in military robotics, unmanned fighting systems, which were next to non-existent before 9/11, and have multiplied exponentially since the Iraq invasion of 2003.</p> <p>You don't have to read <i><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/wired-for-war/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged WIRED FOR WAR" class="autolink">Wired for War</a></i> (or Gizmodo) to know why military robots are awesome: On the battlefield, they won't hesitate to take a bullet for you, and when they bite it, you don't have to go and tell their mama how sorry you are. But robots are no longer just an extra layer of protection for our flesh-and-blood warriors, they are a new fighting force—the US has 12,000 on the ground and 7,000 in the air—that are changing the way the generals see the battlefield, and the way soldiers define what it means to fight.</p> <p>I got in touch with Singer after <i>Wired for War</i> was published, and the cool, calm way he explains how different the world will be from now on—how the extended conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have turned robots from novelty items to autonomous killing machines, how cute dormroom debates over Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics have morphed into heated arguments at the Pentagon—has really got me convinced.</p> <p>This week we're celebrating the book with a series of posts on topics it covers, but at first, it's time for you to hear from Singer himself, and drink in some of that truth. As he himself would say, citing <i>The Matrix</i>, it's time to swallow the red pill:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Wired_for_War_top.jpg" height="213" width="804" /></p> <p><b>Giz: One of the biggest purposes of your book is to make, for the first time, a compelling argument for the reality of the scary sci-fi future, right?</b></p> <p>PWS: There are a couple of points of the book. One, to sell lots of books. Two, to get our heads out of the sand when it comes to the massive changes happening in war, to say this is not science fiction but battlefield reality. Next, this is not the revolution that Rumsfeld and his people thought would happen. You may be getting incredible new capabilities, but you're also getting incredible new human dilemmas to figure out. The fog of war is not being lifted. Moore's law may be in operation, but so is Murphy's law. Mistakes still happen. The final aspect is to give people a way to look at the ripple effects that are coming out of this, on our politics, the warrior's experience, our laws, our ethics.</p> <p>We're experiencing something incredibly historic right now, and yet no one is talking about it. Think about the phrase "going to war." That has meant the same thing for five thousand years. It meant going to a place where there was such danger that they may never come home again, may never see their family again. Whether you were talking about my grandfather's experience in World War II or Achilles going off to fight the Trojans.</p> <p>Compare that to what it means in a world of Predator drones, already. One of the pilots I interviewed says you're going to war—for 12 hours. You're shooting weapons at targets, killing enemy combatants. And then you get back in your car and you drive home. And 20 minutes later, you're sitting at the dinner table, talking to your kids about their homework. So we have an absolute change in the meaning of going to war, in our lifetime right now, and nobody was talking about it.</p> <p><b>Giz: That's mind blowing. The thing you're hitting on here is the role of humans in war. Many argue that you can't take the human being out of war, but will there be a time when robots just fight robots? And what's the point? Doesn't there have to be a human target? If robots fight robots, who cares?</b></p> <p>PWS: Basically you're asking the question that's the famous <i>Star Trek</i> episode [<a href="http://www.imdb.com/video/cbs/vi2873425945/">"A Taste of Armageddon,"</a> TOS 1967], where two machines fight each other, they calculate what would happen, and then a set number of humans are killed based on the computer calculations. That's how they do the wars.</p> <p>If we do get to that scenario, is it war anymore? We'd have to reconfigure our definitions. This is something we do. Some people back in the day thought that the use of guns was not an act of war, it was murder. It was a crime to use guns. Only cowards used guns. Well, we changed our definitions.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Predator_with_missiles.jpg" height="243" width="324" /><b>Giz: But the human has always been in the target of whatever murderous weapon—I'm asking what happens when Predator drones on our side go after Predator drones on their side over the Pacific Ocean.</b></p> <p>PWS: It's not a theoretical thing. Is that war anymore? Or does it take away the valor and heroism that we use to justify war, and just turn it into a question of productivity? Maybe that's where war is headed.</p> <p>But things don't always turn out as you described. Every action has a counter-reaction. You develop these systems that give you this incredible advantage. But as one of the insurgents in Iraq says, you're showing you're not man enough to fight us [in person]. You're showing your cowardice. You've also shown us that all we have to do is kill a few of your soldiers to defeat you.</p> <p>Another one says that you are forcing my hand to become a terrorist. Say you get to drones vs. drones. Someone else will say, "A ha! That's not the way to win. The way to win is to strike at their homeland."</p> <p>And with drones on drones, this very sophisticated technology, you're also taking war in a whole 'nother direction. Because now the most effective way of defeating drones may not be destruction, it may be wars of persuasion. That is, how do I hack into your drones and make them do what I want? That may be better than shooting them down.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/SWORDS_platform.jpg" height="214" width="290" />Or, if they're dependent on communication back to home, I've just pointed out a new vulnerability. The high tech strategy may be to hack them, and disrupt those communications, but of course there's a low-tech response. What's an incredibly effective device against the SWORDS system, a machine-gun-armed robot? It's a six year old with a can of spray paint [says one military journalist]. You either have to be bloody minded to kill an unarmed six year old. Which of course will have all sorts of ripple effects, such as who else will join the war and how it's covered. Or you just let that little six year old walk up and put spray paint on the camera, and suddenly your robot is basically defused.</p> <p>Of course, in a meeting with officers from Joint Forces Command, one of them responded, "We'll just load the system up with non-lethal weapons, and we'll tase that little six year old." The point is, robotics are not the end of the story, they're the start of the new story.</p> <p><b>Giz: Okay, so if everyone can get their hands on a crate of AK-47s these days, will robots be traded like that, on the black market? How can countries without technological sophistication make use of robots?</b></p> <p>PWS: There is a rule in technology as well as war: There's no such thing as a permanent first-mover advantage. How many of your readers are reading this on a Wang computer? How many are playing video games on an Atari or Commodore 64? Same thing in war: The British are the ones who invented the tank, but the Germans are the ones who figured out how to use the tank better.</p> <p>The US is definitely ahead in military robotics today, but we should not be so arrogant as to assume it will always be the case. There are 43 other countries working on military robotics, and they range from well-off countries like Great Britain, to Russia, to China, to Pakistan, to Iran. Just three days ago, we shot down an Iranian drone over Iraq.</p> <p>The thing we have to ask ourselves is, where does the state of American manufacturing, and the state of our science and mathematics education in our schools take us in this revolution? Another way to phrase this is, what does it mean to use more and more "soldiers" whose hardware is made in China, and whose software is written in India?</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Raven_hand-tossed.jpg" height="174" width="226" />A lot of the technology is commercial, off the shelf. A lot of it is do-it-yourself. For about $1,000, you can build your own version of a Raven drone, one of the hand-tossed drones [which you launch it by throwing in the air, shown at left] our soldiers use in Iraq and Afghanistan. What we have is the phenomena that software is not the only thing that has gone open source. So has warfare. It's not just the big boys that can access these technologies, and even change and approve upon them. Hezbollah may not be a state, may not have a military, but in its war with Israel, it flew four drones.</p> <p>Just as terrorism may not be small groups but just one lone-wolf individual, you have the same thing with robotics and terrorism. Robotics makes people a lot more lethal. It also eliminates the culling power of suicide bombing. You don't have to convince a robot that it's going to be received by 70 virgins in heaven.</p> <p>And about not being able to get it like an AK-47. Actually, two things. One, there's a bit in the book about cloned robots. One of the companies was at an arms fair and saw a robot being displayed by a certain nation in their booth. And they're like, "That's our robot, and we never sold it to them. What the hell?" It's because it was a cloned robot.</p> <p>And two, there's a quote, "A robot gone missing today will end up in the marketplace tomorrow." We've actually had robots that have been captured. We actually had one loaded up with explosives and turned into a mobile IED.</p> <p><b>Giz: So, in other words, only a few years after being deployed, they're already being turned against us.</b></p> <p>PWS: This is war, so of course it's going to happen. It doesn't mean the AK-47 is disappearing from war. War in the 21st century is this dark mix of more and more machines, but fights against warlords and insurgents in the slums. Those players are going to be using everything from high-tech to low-tech.</p> <p>[<a href="http://wiredforwar.pwsinger.com/">Wired for War website</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237821874&sr=8-1">Wired for War at Amazon</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorWilson Rothmanidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5180363guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/MQ-9_Afghanistan_takeoff.jpg" height="255" width="804" />If you shrug off <i>Terminator</i> and <i>Battlestar Galactica</i> as never-gonna-happen impossibilities, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/pw-singer/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PW SINGER">PW Singer</a> has news for you. His spine-tingling book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237821874&sr=8-1">Wired For War</a></i>, carefully explains the robotics revolution that's gripped our military since 9/11.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Singer_with_Wakamura.jpg" height="276" width="223" />If you believe Singer (shown at left with an unarmed robot), the biggest revolution happening in the world today is the one taking place in military robotics, unmanned fighting systems, which were next to non-existent before 9/11, and have multiplied exponentially since the Iraq invasion of 2003.</p> <p>You don't have to read <i><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/wired-for-war/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged WIRED FOR WAR" class="autolink">Wired for War</a></i> (or Gizmodo) to know why military robots are awesome: On the battlefield, they won't hesitate to take a bullet for you, and when they bite it, you don't have to go and tell their mama how sorry you are. But robots are no longer just an extra layer of protection for our flesh-and-blood warriors, they are a new fighting force—the US has 12,000 on the ground and 7,000 in the air—that are changing the way the generals see the battlefield, and the way soldiers define what it means to fight.</p> <p>I got in touch with Singer after <i>Wired for War</i> was published, and the cool, calm way he explains how different the world will be from now on—how the extended conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have turned robots from novelty items to autonomous killing machines, how cute dormroom debates over Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics have morphed into heated arguments at the Pentagon—has really got me convinced.</p> <p>This week we're celebrating the book with a series of posts on topics it covers, but at first, it's time for you to hear from Singer himself, and drink in some of that truth. As he himself would say, citing <i>The Matrix</i>, it's time to swallow the red pill:</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Wired_for_War_top.jpg" height="213" width="804" /></p> <p><b>Giz: One of the biggest purposes of your book is to make, for the first time, a compelling argument for the reality of the scary sci-fi future, right?</b></p> <p>PWS: There are a couple of points of the book. One, to sell lots of books. Two, to get our heads out of the sand when it comes to the massive changes happening in war, to say this is not science fiction but battlefield reality. Next, this is not the revolution that Rumsfeld and his people thought would happen. You may be getting incredible new capabilities, but you're also getting incredible new human dilemmas to figure out. The fog of war is not being lifted. Moore's law may be in operation, but so is Murphy's law. Mistakes still happen. The final aspect is to give people a way to look at the ripple effects that are coming out of this, on our politics, the warrior's experience, our laws, our ethics.</p> <p>We're experiencing something incredibly historic right now, and yet no one is talking about it. Think about the phrase "going to war." That has meant the same thing for five thousand years. It meant going to a place where there was such danger that they may never come home again, may never see their family again. Whether you were talking about my grandfather's experience in World War II or Achilles going off to fight the Trojans.</p> <p>Compare that to what it means in a world of Predator drones, already. One of the pilots I interviewed says you're going to war—for 12 hours. You're shooting weapons at targets, killing enemy combatants. And then you get back in your car and you drive home. And 20 minutes later, you're sitting at the dinner table, talking to your kids about their homework. So we have an absolute change in the meaning of going to war, in our lifetime right now, and nobody was talking about it.</p> <p><b>Giz: That's mind blowing. The thing you're hitting on here is the role of humans in war. Many argue that you can't take the human being out of war, but will there be a time when robots just fight robots? And what's the point? Doesn't there have to be a human target? If robots fight robots, who cares?</b></p> <p>PWS: Basically you're asking the question that's the famous <i>Star Trek</i> episode [<a href="http://www.imdb.com/video/cbs/vi2873425945/">"A Taste of Armageddon,"</a> TOS 1967], where two machines fight each other, they calculate what would happen, and then a set number of humans are killed based on the computer calculations. That's how they do the wars.</p> <p>If we do get to that scenario, is it war anymore? We'd have to reconfigure our definitions. This is something we do. Some people back in the day thought that the use of guns was not an act of war, it was murder. It was a crime to use guns. Only cowards used guns. Well, we changed our definitions.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Predator_with_missiles.jpg" height="243" width="324" /><b>Giz: But the human has always been in the target of whatever murderous weapon—I'm asking what happens when Predator drones on our side go after Predator drones on their side over the Pacific Ocean.</b></p> <p>PWS: It's not a theoretical thing. Is that war anymore? Or does it take away the valor and heroism that we use to justify war, and just turn it into a question of productivity? Maybe that's where war is headed.</p> <p>But things don't always turn out as you described. Every action has a counter-reaction. You develop these systems that give you this incredible advantage. But as one of the insurgents in Iraq says, you're showing you're not man enough to fight us [in person]. You're showing your cowardice. You've also shown us that all we have to do is kill a few of your soldiers to defeat you.</p> <p>Another one says that you are forcing my hand to become a terrorist. Say you get to drones vs. drones. Someone else will say, "A ha! That's not the way to win. The way to win is to strike at their homeland."</p> <p>And with drones on drones, this very sophisticated technology, you're also taking war in a whole 'nother direction. Because now the most effective way of defeating drones may not be destruction, it may be wars of persuasion. That is, how do I hack into your drones and make them do what I want? That may be better than shooting them down.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/SWORDS_platform.jpg" height="214" width="290" />Or, if they're dependent on communication back to home, I've just pointed out a new vulnerability. The high tech strategy may be to hack them, and disrupt those communications, but of course there's a low-tech response. What's an incredibly effective device against the SWORDS system, a machine-gun-armed robot? It's a six year old with a can of spray paint [says one military journalist]. You either have to be bloody minded to kill an unarmed six year old. Which of course will have all sorts of ripple effects, such as who else will join the war and how it's covered. Or you just let that little six year old walk up and put spray paint on the camera, and suddenly your robot is basically defused.</p> <p>Of course, in a meeting with officers from Joint Forces Command, one of them responded, "We'll just load the system up with non-lethal weapons, and we'll tase that little six year old." The point is, robotics are not the end of the story, they're the start of the new story.</p> <p><b>Giz: Okay, so if everyone can get their hands on a crate of AK-47s these days, will robots be traded like that, on the black market? How can countries without technological sophistication make use of robots?</b></p> <p>PWS: There is a rule in technology as well as war: There's no such thing as a permanent first-mover advantage. How many of your readers are reading this on a Wang computer? How many are playing video games on an Atari or Commodore 64? Same thing in war: The British are the ones who invented the tank, but the Germans are the ones who figured out how to use the tank better.</p> <p>The US is definitely ahead in military robotics today, but we should not be so arrogant as to assume it will always be the case. There are 43 other countries working on military robotics, and they range from well-off countries like Great Britain, to Russia, to China, to Pakistan, to Iran. Just three days ago, we shot down an Iranian drone over Iraq.</p> <p>The thing we have to ask ourselves is, where does the state of American manufacturing, and the state of our science and mathematics education in our schools take us in this revolution? Another way to phrase this is, what does it mean to use more and more "soldiers" whose hardware is made in China, and whose software is written in India?</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Raven_hand-tossed.jpg" height="174" width="226" />A lot of the technology is commercial, off the shelf. A lot of it is do-it-yourself. For about $1,000, you can build your own version of a Raven drone, one of the hand-tossed drones [which you launch it by throwing in the air, shown at left] our soldiers use in Iraq and Afghanistan. What we have is the phenomena that software is not the only thing that has gone open source. So has warfare. It's not just the big boys that can access these technologies, and even change and approve upon them. Hezbollah may not be a state, may not have a military, but in its war with Israel, it flew four drones.</p> <p>Just as terrorism may not be small groups but just one lone-wolf individual, you have the same thing with robotics and terrorism. Robotics makes people a lot more lethal. It also eliminates the culling power of suicide bombing. You don't have to convince a robot that it's going to be received by 70 virgins in heaven.</p> <p>And about not being able to get it like an AK-47. Actually, two things. One, there's a bit in the book about cloned robots. One of the companies was at an arms fair and saw a robot being displayed by a certain nation in their booth. And they're like, "That's our robot, and we never sold it to them. What the hell?" It's because it was a cloned robot.</p> <p>And two, there's a quote, "A robot gone missing today will end up in the marketplace tomorrow." We've actually had robots that have been captured. We actually had one loaded up with explosives and turned into a mobile IED.</p> <p><b>Giz: So, in other words, only a few years after being deployed, they're already being turned against us.</b></p> <p>PWS: This is war, so of course it's going to happen. It doesn't mean the AK-47 is disappearing from war. War in the 21st century is this dark mix of more and more machines, but fights against warlords and insurgents in the slums. Those players are going to be using everything from high-tech to low-tech.</p> <p>[<a href="http://wiredforwar.pwsinger.com/">Wired for War website</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237821874&sr=8-1">Wired for War at Amazon</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalue<i>Wired for War</i>: Author Explains Revolution in Robotics, Scares Crap Out of Usbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5180363/wired-for-war-author-explains-revolution-in-robotics-scares-crap-out-of-usrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5180363/wired-for-war-author-explains-revolution-in-robotics-scares-crap-out-of-usupdatedMon, 23 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 23 16:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932316000820titleBest Buy Staff Paid Bonuses to Deny Legit Guaranteed Price Matcheswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5180369&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermbest buy is scumschemelabeltermbest buyschemelabeltermcircuit cityschemelabeltermhome entertainmentschemelabeltermprice matchesschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermworst buyschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/bbsucx.jpg" height="603" width="804" /><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/best-buy/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged BEST BUY">Best Buy</a>, like many other stores, has a <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5146320/best-buy-states-the-obvious">public "price matching" policy</a>. But <a href="http://hdguru.com/best-buy-bombshell/400/">HD Guru reports</a> that according to internal docs, personnel are <em>trained</em> to deny price-matches and even <em>paid bonuses</em> for shutting them down.</p> <p>This all comes out of a lawsuit that was just granted class action status. Internal documents, plus depositions from past and current Best Buy employees reveal just how evil Best Buy is. A price match is when, say, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/circuit-city/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CIRCUIT CITY">Circuit City</a> advertised a Sharp HDTV for cheaper than Best Buy, Best Buy's public policy is to match that price.</p> <p>But Best Buy actually trains employees in New York how to deny legitimate price match requests, and the average Best Buy store denies 100 <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/price-matches/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PRICE MATCHES">price matches</a> a week. You even get paid bonuses based on how many price matches you deny!</p> <p>Here's how it works, according to Phil Britton, a member of Best Buy's Competitive Strategies Group:<br /></p> <blockquote>What is the first thing we do when a customer comes in to our humble box brandishing a competitor's ad asking for a price match? We attempt to build a case against the price match. (Trust me, I've done it too). Let's walk through the "Refused Price Match Greatest Hits: <p>"Not same model? Not in stock at the competitor? Do we have free widget with purchase? Is it from a warehouse club (they have membership fees, you know)? Limited Quantities? That competitor is across town? We've got financing! Is it an internet price? It's below cost!….."</p> </blockquote> <p>If you live in NY state, and you've been screwed by Best Buy's anti-price matching, HD Guru has further info on the attorney to contact so you can take a piece out of Best Buy. What <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5119861/best-buy-turns-to-component-cable-deception-to-sell-hdtv-calibration-service">a bunch of scum</a>.</p> <p><strong>Update</strong>: Giz reader Jake reveals how they scam you on model numbers to avoid price matching:<br /></p> <blockquote>Example: A few months ago my wife and I were looking at a Frigidaire Washer. The model we were interested was the ATF8000FS. At Best Buy, we found the washer there however it was displayed as the ATF8000FSL. At first I figured "Oh this must be some variation on the original model number, like how manufacturers sometimes add a letter to the end of the model to indicate the product color." Anyways, to make a long story short, this ATF8000FSL was not available from the manufacturer. <p>The "L" was added on by Best Buy in order for them to skirt around price matching. This is so no one can come to Best Buy and claim to have found a lower price of this product because no one else sells the product under the model number ATF8000FSL. It's ATF8000FS everywhere else. Best Buy will tell people that its simply a different product, so therefore, no price matching. Even on the manufacturer's sticker on the washer, it said ATF8000FS, as it was supposed to. Upon further investigation I could see that Best Buy's internal computers even listed the model as ATF8000FSL.</p> </blockquote> <p>Pretty scammy. [<a href="http://hdguru.com/best-buy-bombshell/400/">HD Guru</a>, <em>Image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdjsb7/1465404635/">bdjsb7</a>/Flickr</em>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthormatt buchananidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5180369guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/bbsucx.jpg" height="603" width="804" /><a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/best-buy/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged BEST BUY">Best Buy</a>, like many other stores, has a <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5146320/best-buy-states-the-obvious">public "price matching" policy</a>. But <a href="http://hdguru.com/best-buy-bombshell/400/">HD Guru reports</a> that according to internal docs, personnel are <em>trained</em> to deny price-matches and even <em>paid bonuses</em> for shutting them down.</p> <p>This all comes out of a lawsuit that was just granted class action status. Internal documents, plus depositions from past and current Best Buy employees reveal just how evil Best Buy is. A price match is when, say, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/circuit-city/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged CIRCUIT CITY">Circuit City</a> advertised a Sharp HDTV for cheaper than Best Buy, Best Buy's public policy is to match that price.</p> <p>But Best Buy actually trains employees in New York how to deny legitimate price match requests, and the average Best Buy store denies 100 <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/price-matches/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged PRICE MATCHES">price matches</a> a week. You even get paid bonuses based on how many price matches you deny!</p> <p>Here's how it works, according to Phil Britton, a member of Best Buy's Competitive Strategies Group:<br /></p> <blockquote>What is the first thing we do when a customer comes in to our humble box brandishing a competitor's ad asking for a price match? We attempt to build a case against the price match. (Trust me, I've done it too). Let's walk through the "Refused Price Match Greatest Hits: <p>"Not same model? Not in stock at the competitor? Do we have free widget with purchase? Is it from a warehouse club (they have membership fees, you know)? Limited Quantities? That competitor is across town? We've got financing! Is it an internet price? It's below cost!….."</p> </blockquote> <p>If you live in NY state, and you've been screwed by Best Buy's anti-price matching, HD Guru has further info on the attorney to contact so you can take a piece out of Best Buy. What <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5119861/best-buy-turns-to-component-cable-deception-to-sell-hdtv-calibration-service">a bunch of scum</a>.</p> <p><strong>Update</strong>: Giz reader Jake reveals how they scam you on model numbers to avoid price matching:<br /></p> <blockquote>Example: A few months ago my wife and I were looking at a Frigidaire Washer. The model we were interested was the ATF8000FS. At Best Buy, we found the washer there however it was displayed as the ATF8000FSL. At first I figured "Oh this must be some variation on the original model number, like how manufacturers sometimes add a letter to the end of the model to indicate the product color." Anyways, to make a long story short, this ATF8000FSL was not available from the manufacturer. <p>The "L" was added on by Best Buy in order for them to skirt around price matching. This is so no one can come to Best Buy and claim to have found a lower price of this product because no one else sells the product under the model number ATF8000FSL. It's ATF8000FS everywhere else. Best Buy will tell people that its simply a different product, so therefore, no price matching. Even on the manufacturer's sticker on the washer, it said ATF8000FS, as it was supposed to. Upon further investigation I could see that Best Buy's internal computers even listed the model as ATF8000FSL.</p> </blockquote> <p>Pretty scammy. [<a href="http://hdguru.com/best-buy-bombshell/400/">HD Guru</a>, <em>Image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdjsb7/1465404635/">bdjsb7</a>/Flickr</em>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueBest Buy Staff Paid Bonuses to Deny Legit Guaranteed Price Matchesbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5180369/best-buy-staff-paid-bonuses-to-deny-legit-guaranteed-price-matchesrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5180369/best-buy-staff-paid-bonuses-to-deny-legit-guaranteed-price-matchesupdatedMon, 23 Mar 2009 10:40:00 EDTupdated_timeMon Mar 23 14:40:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009323144000820titleOur iPhone 3.0 How-To Coverage, All in One Placewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5177518&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermhow toschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermcydiaschemelabeltermguidesschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiPhone 3.0schemelabeltermiphone 3.0 osschemelabeltermiphone appsschemelabeltermjailbreakschemelabeltermtetheringschemelabeltermthe third comingschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/504x_iphone-os-30_hardhat.jpg" vspace="2" height="378" hspace="4" align="left" width="504" />The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270-os/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0 OS">iPhone 3.0 OS</a> may only be available as a beta for developers (and friends of developers), but there's still plenty of tinkering you can do to get the 3.0 OS experience this weekend.</p> <p><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175586/how-to-fake-the-iphone-30-os-on-your-iphone-today"><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/iphone3_jailbreakapps_2.jpg" /><br /> <strong>• How To: Fake the iPhone 3.0 OS On Your iPhone Today</strong></a><br /> What <em>everyone</em> can do is check out our directory of <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE APPS">iPhone apps</a>—both legit App Store apps and unofficial jailbreak software—that already provide the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a> OS's major feature additions. Copy and paste, tethering, running apps in the background—we've got almost all of it covered.</p> <p><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely"><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1236442338996_Picture_5.png" /><br clear="all" /> <strong>• How To: Install Unofficial Apps on Your iPhone 3G or iPod Touch, Easily and Safely</strong></a><br /> But first, you'll want to jailbreak your phone. And thankfully, we have a detailed guide for that too. Jailbreaking unlocks the wide world of Cydia, where you'll find most of the iPhone 3.0-related features covered.</p> <p><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175391/how-to-enable-3g-tethering-in-your-iphone-30-now"><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/tether-3g.jpg" /><br /> <strong>• How To: Enable 3G Tethering in Your iPhone 3.0 Now</strong></a><br /> And finally, if you've cozied up to a dev and gotten them to register your iPhone's ID as a beta tester, here's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a> test out iPhone 3.0's built-in, official tethering solution to use your 3G connection on a laptop.</p> <p><em>Happy iPhone hacking everyone, and have a great weekend!</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5177518guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/504x_iphone-os-30_hardhat.jpg" vspace="2" height="378" hspace="4" align="left" width="504" />The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270-os/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0 OS">iPhone 3.0 OS</a> may only be available as a beta for developers (and friends of developers), but there's still plenty of tinkering you can do to get the 3.0 OS experience this weekend.</p> <p><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175586/how-to-fake-the-iphone-30-os-on-your-iphone-today"><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/iphone3_jailbreakapps_2.jpg" /><br /> <strong>• How To: Fake the iPhone 3.0 OS On Your iPhone Today</strong></a><br /> What <em>everyone</em> can do is check out our directory of <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE APPS">iPhone apps</a>—both legit App Store apps and unofficial jailbreak software—that already provide the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a> OS's major feature additions. Copy and paste, tethering, running apps in the background—we've got almost all of it covered.</p> <p><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely"><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1236442338996_Picture_5.png" /><br clear="all" /> <strong>• How To: Install Unofficial Apps on Your iPhone 3G or iPod Touch, Easily and Safely</strong></a><br /> But first, you'll want to jailbreak your phone. And thankfully, we have a detailed guide for that too. Jailbreaking unlocks the wide world of Cydia, where you'll find most of the iPhone 3.0-related features covered.</p> <p><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175391/how-to-enable-3g-tethering-in-your-iphone-30-now"><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/tether-3g.jpg" /><br /> <strong>• How To: Enable 3G Tethering in Your iPhone 3.0 Now</strong></a><br /> And finally, if you've cozied up to a dev and gotten them to register your iPhone's ID as a beta tester, here's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a> test out iPhone 3.0's built-in, official tethering solution to use your 3G connection on a laptop.</p> <p><em>Happy iPhone hacking everyone, and have a great weekend!</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueOur iPhone 3.0 How-To Coverage, All in One Placebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5177518/our-iphone-30-how+to-coverage-all-in-one-placerelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5177518/our-iphone-30-how+to-coverage-all-in-one-placeupdatedSat, 21 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDTupdated_timeSat Mar 21 16:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932116005800title10 Gadgets That Will Make You Really Hungrywfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5176834&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermtgifschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermfoodschemelabeltermfood gadgetsschemelabeltermgadgetsschemelabeltermhungryschemelabeltermthank giz it's fridayschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/burger-head.jpg" height="500" width="375" />Missed lunch? Dinnertime coming up in a few hours? Let me torture you with a delicious-looking 10 course gadget feast.</p> <p></p> <p>[Image via <a href="http://www.fastfoodfever.com/2008/12/odd-noggin-land.html">Fast Food Fever</a> and <a href="http://oddnoggin.com/">Odd Noggin Land]</a></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorSean Fallonidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5176834guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/burger-head.jpg" height="500" width="375" />Missed lunch? Dinnertime coming up in a few hours? Let me torture you with a delicious-looking 10 course gadget feast.</p> <p></p> <p>[Image via <a href="http://www.fastfoodfever.com/2008/12/odd-noggin-land.html">Fast Food Fever</a> and <a href="http://oddnoggin.com/">Odd Noggin Land]</a></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalue10 Gadgets That Will Make You Really Hungrybasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5176834/10-gadgets-that-will-make-you-really-hungryrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5176834/10-gadgets-that-will-make-you-really-hungryupdatedFri, 20 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 20 20:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932020004790titleThe Week in iPhone Apps: The Most Wonderful Time of the Yearwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5177141&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermiphone appsschemelabeltermapp storeschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermitunesschemelabeltermthe week in iPhone appsschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/appreview_march20.jpg" vspace="2" height="179" hspace="4" align="left" width="603" />March Madness: when being a work-from-home blogger pays off. Here are the apps that will help you squeeze every last drop of goodness from the NCAA Tournament, along with the week's other app highlights.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_32.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307977824&mt=8">Madness '09</a>: There are a flood of bracket tracking apps, most of which are horribly ugly and hastily constructed. Madness '09 is one of the few that's actually nice to look at, and it also pipes in live scores, stats and game previews/recaps from ESPN.com. Well worth the buck.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_21.png" width="320" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=308469634&mt=8">ESPN Tournament Edition Cameraman</a>: There is still no Photo Hunt app that's erotic enough for my liking, but in honor of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, the Cameraman folks have released a college-hoops-themed Photo Hunt with ESPN. Well, I guess Larry Bird's legs were <em>kind of</em> erotic in his Sycamore days. $1<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_20.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=306932584&mt=8">FanFinder Sports Bar Locator</a>: This app ties into the database of sports bars maintained by <a href="http://www.sportsfanlive.com/web/fanfinder">Sports Fan Live</a> to help you find the local alumni haunts for your favorite tournament teams. Because it's always more fun to get wasted with the home team fans while you watch. Free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_17_01.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=305171838&mt=8">Boxee Remote</a>: If you use the media center software <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/boxee">Boxee</a> on a home theater PC, this free remote app will be handy for text input and navigating menus without having to figure out a mouse/keyboard setup. Useful for Apple TV folks too, I imagine, since text input with the Apple Remote is a bitch. Free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_24.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=306140158&mt=8">Locavore</a>: There is no larger trend in food than "eating local" right now, but since its main tenets are increased deliciousness at a lower price (and enviro impact), it's a trend that I have a hard time being cynical about. This app will not only help you find nearby farmers' markets, but judging from your location, will tell you which fruits and vegetables are currently in season in your area. Cool. $3<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_33.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307989784&mt=8">How To Text a Girl</a>: If there's one thing a girl will love, it's a canned, slightly suggestive SMS sent from an iPhone app. Trust me. $1<br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>This Week's App News On Giz</strong>:</p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175586/how-to-fake-the-iphone-30-os-on-your-iphone-today">How To: Fake the iPhone 3.0 OS On Your iPhone Today</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5174367/hands-on-metal-gear-solid-touch-iphone-app">Click here to read Hands On: Metal Gear Solid Touch iPhone App</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5174169/iphones-first-turn+by+turn-navigation-app-xroad-g+map-yanked-from-app-store">iPhone's First Turn-by-Turn Navigation App XROAD G-Map Yanked from App Store</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172839/boxee-gets-iphone-app-remote-control-with-funky-trackpad-interface">Boxee Gets iPhone App Remote Control With Funky Trackpad Interface</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172350/why-iphone-in+app-transactions-could-be-a-disaster">Why iPhone In-App Transactions Could Be a Disaster</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172248/first-iphone-30-apps-show-off-new-functionality">First iPhone 3.0 Apps Show Off New Functionality</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172200/iphone-app-store-revamped-for-content-subscriptions-game-add+ons-in+app-purchases">iPhone App Store Revamped For Content Subscriptions, Game Add-Ons, In-App Purchases</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171182/sound-curtain-noise-masking-iphone-app-hands-on">Sound Curtain Noise Masking iPhone App Hands On</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5170688/pin-up-weather-for-iphone-delivers-sexytime-forecasts-rated-pg+13">Pin Up Weather For iPhone Delivers Sexytime Forecasts Rated PG-13</a></p> <p><em>This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/the-week-in-iPhone-apps/">previous weekly roundups here</a>, and check out our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps-directory">Favorite iPhone Apps Directory</a> and our original <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5023924/iphone-app-review-marathon-liveblog">iPhone App Review Marathon</a>. Have a good weekend everybody.</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5177141guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/appreview_march20.jpg" vspace="2" height="179" hspace="4" align="left" width="603" />March Madness: when being a work-from-home blogger pays off. Here are the apps that will help you squeeze every last drop of goodness from the NCAA Tournament, along with the week's other app highlights.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_32.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307977824&mt=8">Madness '09</a>: There are a flood of bracket tracking apps, most of which are horribly ugly and hastily constructed. Madness '09 is one of the few that's actually nice to look at, and it also pipes in live scores, stats and game previews/recaps from ESPN.com. Well worth the buck.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_21.png" width="320" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=308469634&mt=8">ESPN Tournament Edition Cameraman</a>: There is still no Photo Hunt app that's erotic enough for my liking, but in honor of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, the Cameraman folks have released a college-hoops-themed Photo Hunt with ESPN. Well, I guess Larry Bird's legs were <em>kind of</em> erotic in his Sycamore days. $1<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_20.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=306932584&mt=8">FanFinder Sports Bar Locator</a>: This app ties into the database of sports bars maintained by <a href="http://www.sportsfanlive.com/web/fanfinder">Sports Fan Live</a> to help you find the local alumni haunts for your favorite tournament teams. Because it's always more fun to get wasted with the home team fans while you watch. Free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_17_01.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=305171838&mt=8">Boxee Remote</a>: If you use the media center software <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/boxee">Boxee</a> on a home theater PC, this free remote app will be handy for text input and navigating menus without having to figure out a mouse/keyboard setup. Useful for Apple TV folks too, I imagine, since text input with the Apple Remote is a bitch. Free.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_24.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=306140158&mt=8">Locavore</a>: There is no larger trend in food than "eating local" right now, but since its main tenets are increased deliciousness at a lower price (and enviro impact), it's a trend that I have a hard time being cynical about. This app will not only help you find nearby farmers' markets, but judging from your location, will tell you which fruits and vegetables are currently in season in your area. Cool. $3<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/Picture_33.png" width="240" /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307989784&mt=8">How To Text a Girl</a>: If there's one thing a girl will love, it's a canned, slightly suggestive SMS sent from an iPhone app. Trust me. $1<br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>This Week's App News On Giz</strong>:</p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175586/how-to-fake-the-iphone-30-os-on-your-iphone-today">How To: Fake the iPhone 3.0 OS On Your iPhone Today</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5174367/hands-on-metal-gear-solid-touch-iphone-app">Click here to read Hands On: Metal Gear Solid Touch iPhone App</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5174169/iphones-first-turn+by+turn-navigation-app-xroad-g+map-yanked-from-app-store">iPhone's First Turn-by-Turn Navigation App XROAD G-Map Yanked from App Store</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172839/boxee-gets-iphone-app-remote-control-with-funky-trackpad-interface">Boxee Gets iPhone App Remote Control With Funky Trackpad Interface</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172350/why-iphone-in+app-transactions-could-be-a-disaster">Why iPhone In-App Transactions Could Be a Disaster</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172248/first-iphone-30-apps-show-off-new-functionality">First iPhone 3.0 Apps Show Off New Functionality</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172200/iphone-app-store-revamped-for-content-subscriptions-game-add+ons-in+app-purchases">iPhone App Store Revamped For Content Subscriptions, Game Add-Ons, In-App Purchases</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171182/sound-curtain-noise-masking-iphone-app-hands-on">Sound Curtain Noise Masking iPhone App Hands On</a></p> <p>• <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5170688/pin-up-weather-for-iphone-delivers-sexytime-forecasts-rated-pg+13">Pin Up Weather For iPhone Delivers Sexytime Forecasts Rated PG-13</a></p> <p><em>This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/the-week-in-iPhone-apps/">previous weekly roundups here</a>, and check out our <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-apps-directory">Favorite iPhone Apps Directory</a> and our original <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5023924/iphone-app-review-marathon-liveblog">iPhone App Review Marathon</a>. Have a good weekend everybody.</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueThe Week in iPhone Apps: The Most Wonderful Time of the Yearbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5177141/the-week-in-iphone-apps-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-yearrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5177141/the-week-in-iphone-apps-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-yearupdatedFri, 20 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 20 19:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932019004790titleSend Someone (or Some Thing) Into Spacewfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5176885&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermphotoshop contestschemelabeltermcontestschemelabeltermnasaschemelabeltermreader participationschemelabeltermshuttleschemelabeltermspaceschemelabeltermspacebatschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/clown-space_01.jpg" height="502" width="804" />People <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175346/spacebat-tribute-video-will-make-you-cry-like-we-are-the-world">are honoring</a> the daring <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5173385/shuttle+riding-bat-dies-the-most-glorious-death-imaginable">spacebat</a> all over the world. Now it's your turn. Your turn to mock the whole thing using your Photoshop skills, sneaking someone onto the space shuttle—inside or out.</p> <p>Who would you like to send to space to never hear about him/her again?</p> <p>Send us your image at [email protected] with "Space stowaway" in the subject line by this Wednesday at noon. Name your files with a FirstnameLastname.jpg naming convention and use JPG or PNG as your file types.</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJesus Diazidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5176885guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/clown-space_01.jpg" height="502" width="804" />People <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175346/spacebat-tribute-video-will-make-you-cry-like-we-are-the-world">are honoring</a> the daring <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5173385/shuttle+riding-bat-dies-the-most-glorious-death-imaginable">spacebat</a> all over the world. Now it's your turn. Your turn to mock the whole thing using your Photoshop skills, sneaking someone onto the space shuttle—inside or out.</p> <p>Who would you like to send to space to never hear about him/her again?</p> <p>Send us your image at [email protected] with "Space stowaway" in the subject line by this Wednesday at noon. Name your files with a FirstnameLastname.jpg naming convention and use JPG or PNG as your file types.</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueSend Someone (or Some Thing) Into Spacebasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5176885/send-someone-or-some-thing-into-spacerelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5176885/send-someone-or-some-thing-into-spaceupdatedFri, 20 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDTupdated_timeFri Mar 20 15:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200932015004790titleHow To: Fake the iPhone 3.0 OS On Your iPhone Todaywfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5175586&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermhow toschemelabeltermapp storeschemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermcydiaschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermguidesschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiPhone 3.0schemelabeltermiphone 3.0 featuresschemelabeltermiphone 3.0 softwareschemelabeltermiphone appsschemelabeltermiPhone OS 3.0schemelabeltermjailbreakschemelabeltermthe third comingschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/iphone3_jailbreakapps_2.jpg" height="401" width="800" />If you left <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know?skyline=true&s=x">this week's Apple event</a> a little underwhelmed, it's because most of 3.0's new features have been available via Cydia and the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-store/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged APP STORE">App Store</a>. Here's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a> enable <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a>'s biggest additions today.</p> <p>Since many of iPhone 3.0's features were deliberately blocked by restrictions in the official SDK, for several of these apps, you'll have to jailbreak. But don't you just love that we already have <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">the definitive tutorial on jailbreaking your phone</a> to hold your hand through the process? That said, a lot of these features are available via free and paid apps in the App Store too.</p> <p>So start with <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">jailbreaking</a>, then get yourself downloading these apps to get that fresh 3.0 experience before the software even drops.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489924800_IMG_0064.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Cut and Paste: <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=1870">Clippy</a> (Cydia, Free while in Beta)</strong><br /> Apple's ridiculously delayed cut and paste solution looks slick. Slicker than Clippy, the best unofficial C+P solution, which still gets the job done though. One limitation is that you can only reliably copy and paste where you have access to the keyboard (so grabbing web snippets other than URLs is tough), but if you're staying in the main text-input apps, it works. Copying text from web pages is technically possible now, but it's extremely buggy and crashes Safari.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489501522_IMG_0060.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>GPS Turn-by-Turn: <a href="http://xgps.xwaves.net/">xGPS</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> iPhone 3.0 is totally fine with turn-by-turn GPS apps, as long as you bring your own maps to the table (Google's can't be used due to licensing issues). xGPS does use Google's Maps, and does turn-by-turn brilliantly with active GPS tracking.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237490164844_IMG_0061.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Tethering: <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5153525/how-to-tether-the-iphone-or-g1-to-your-laptop-for-free-3g-broadband">iPhoneModem/PDANet</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> We've got you covered with <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5153525/how-to-tether-the-iphone-or-g1-to-your-laptop-for-free-3g-broadband">another detailed tutorial</a> on tethering your iPhone to your Mac (with iPhoneModem) or Windows machine (with PDANet). Keep in mind, the iPhone has always supported tethering—iPhone 3.0 simply brings an <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175391/how-to-enable-3g-tethering-in-your-iphone-30-now">official software tool</a> to do it, but it's still up to the network carriers to enable the feature (and set the pricing). Tethering via these jailbreak solutions works in the meantime, but be careful with how much data you use to not raise any eyebrows at the Death Star.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488027639_Picture_11.png" height="238" width="158" /><strong>Email Multiple Photos: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=303016326&mt=8">Emailpix</a> (App Store, $3)</strong><br /> There have been several official apps touting multi-photo emailing, but for the most part they've been sloppily implemented. Emailpix does it fairly smoothly, though, and gives you a choice of resolution to send to save time. Granted, it takes a while, and emails are sent from Emailpix's server, so you may not want to use it for your nude self portraits.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488461574_IMG_0056.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Bluetooth File Transfer: <a href="http://www.medevil.net/">iBluetooth</a> (Cydia, Free 15-day trial)</strong><br /> iBluetooth lets you pair with your computer to send and receive files. It's kind of buggy, but does work (try setting up a PIN code if you can't get your phone to pair initially).<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488679584_IMG_0057.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Universal Search: <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=2925">Search</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> It doesn't search your applications or your iTunes music like the 3.0 version, but Search is great for the most valuable searching situation: email. It also searches contacts, notes, SMS and the web. If you have a ton of apps, consider pairing Search with <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=3133">QuickGold</a>, a Quicksilver-like app launcher that can also search your contacts, SMSs and Safari history in addition to apps.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489938826_IMG_0063.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Accelerometer Controls: <a href="http://www.mcleaner.com/iphone_w/mcoolphone.shtml">mCoolPhone</a> (Cydia, Free Trial/$3)</strong><br /> The "shake to shuffle" feature in OS 3.0 is kind of lame, and while mCoolPhones can't touch your iTunes functionality, it lets you assign shake events to various other phone functions, like answering calls.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488873687_iphonenotes032508.jpg" height="136" width="158" /><strong>Notes Sync: <a href="http://www.v1ru8.net/2008/03/23/new-iphonenotes-03/">iPhoneNotes</a> (Mac-only desktop App, Jailbreak required. Free)</strong><br /> To pull off native notes sync, make sure you have OpenSSH installed on your jailbroken phone and grab iPhoneNotes, which will import all of your notes and also sync back any text file you have on your computer.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488941291_screenshot-01.png" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Background Apps/Push Notifications: <a href="http://code.google.com/p/iphone-backgrounder/wiki/Documentation">Backgrounder</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> iPhone 3.0 will attempt to solve the multitasking problem by providing a long-awaited framework for push notifications, which will allow apps to get your attention when they're not running. But it stops short of true background multitasking, which most Cydia apps are capable of (especially services like SSH). You can use Backgrounder to force official App Store apps to keep running even when you switch away to another app. It's great for keeping IM apps open and signed in while you do other things.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489025622_IMG_0058.PNG" height="105" width="158" /><strong>Landscape Keyboard: <a href="http://irealsms.com/">iRealSMS</a> (Cydia, €10) and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=294770918&mt=8">EasyWriter</a> (App Store, Free)</strong><br /> Ah, the beloved landscape keyboard. In iPhone 3.0 it's coming system-wide (finally), but you've been able to get one in the most important typing apps (email and SMS) for a while. For email, try the free EasyWriter App Store app, and for SMS, there's iRealSMS, which also adds a number of other features for hardcore texters like quick-replying and advanced sorting.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489269987_sendmms.jpg" height="237" width="158" /><strong>MMS: <a href="http://www.swirlyspace.com/">SwirlyMMS</a> (Cydia, $8) and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=304636819&mt=8">Get MMS</a> (App Store, $4)</strong><br /> MMS is a major hole, and its implementation via unofficial apps thus far has been shoddy. The best is SwirlyMMS, but even that doesn't work very well with AT&T's MMS provider, which most people will obviously be using. But if you're not on the Death Star, give Swirly a try.</p> <p>Get MMS, on the other hand, makes receiving MMS messages via AT&T's annoying web interface a little easier. It takes a screengrab of the login and password AT&T sends, and lets you save the attached video or photo.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489356237_Picture_12.png" height="238" width="158" /><strong>Voice Memos: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=300447583&mt=8">Epiphany</a> (App Store, $2)</strong><br /> There are a million and a half voice recorders in the App Store, but we love Epiphany, which buffers its recordings and only goes back in time to grab the important parts when you tell it to. It can't send the clip via MMS like iPhone 3.0 will be able to, but it will easily sync with your computer via wi-fi.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>Adding Features Still Missing From iPhone 3.0:</strong></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489967393_IMG_0065.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Video Capture: <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=1392">Cycorder</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> The biggest thing Apple still has yet to add into iPhone 3.0 is video recording. Thankfully, Cycorder is incredibly capable.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237491583738_Picture_13.png" height="95" width="158" /><strong>Flash: <a href="http://imobilecinema.com/">iMobileCinema</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> iMobileCinema is a deep, deep beta plugin for Safari that supposedly enables Flash videos for a few sites. Its major compatibility claim though, with Google Video and YouTube, is moot because Apple's YouTube app catches these URLs and plays them fine. A good project to keep an eye on though.<br clear="all" /></p> <p>So as you can see, the majority of iPhone 3.0's feature additions are already needs that have been addressed by third-party devs. Of course, most of these apps will not be as elegant as Apple's native solution, but it shows that iPhone 3.0 is largely about catching up.</p> <p><em>The jailbreak world is big. If you know of any apps not covered here that address any of these features, please let everyone know in the comments. Additional research for this post by Nick Ellenoff</em><br /> </p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJohn Mahoneyidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5175586guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/iphone3_jailbreakapps_2.jpg" height="401" width="800" />If you left <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know?skyline=true&s=x">this week's Apple event</a> a little underwhelmed, it's because most of 3.0's new features have been available via Cydia and the <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-store/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged APP STORE">App Store</a>. Here's <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/how-to/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged HOW TO">how to</a> enable <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a>'s biggest additions today.</p> <p>Since many of iPhone 3.0's features were deliberately blocked by restrictions in the official SDK, for several of these apps, you'll have to jailbreak. But don't you just love that we already have <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">the definitive tutorial on jailbreaking your phone</a> to hold your hand through the process? That said, a lot of these features are available via free and paid apps in the App Store too.</p> <p>So start with <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5166029/how-to-install-unofficial-apps-on-your-iphone-3g-or-ipod-touch-easily-and-safely">jailbreaking</a>, then get yourself downloading these apps to get that fresh 3.0 experience before the software even drops.</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489924800_IMG_0064.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Cut and Paste: <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=1870">Clippy</a> (Cydia, Free while in Beta)</strong><br /> Apple's ridiculously delayed cut and paste solution looks slick. Slicker than Clippy, the best unofficial C+P solution, which still gets the job done though. One limitation is that you can only reliably copy and paste where you have access to the keyboard (so grabbing web snippets other than URLs is tough), but if you're staying in the main text-input apps, it works. Copying text from web pages is technically possible now, but it's extremely buggy and crashes Safari.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489501522_IMG_0060.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>GPS Turn-by-Turn: <a href="http://xgps.xwaves.net/">xGPS</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> iPhone 3.0 is totally fine with turn-by-turn GPS apps, as long as you bring your own maps to the table (Google's can't be used due to licensing issues). xGPS does use Google's Maps, and does turn-by-turn brilliantly with active GPS tracking.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237490164844_IMG_0061.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Tethering: <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5153525/how-to-tether-the-iphone-or-g1-to-your-laptop-for-free-3g-broadband">iPhoneModem/PDANet</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> We've got you covered with <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5153525/how-to-tether-the-iphone-or-g1-to-your-laptop-for-free-3g-broadband">another detailed tutorial</a> on tethering your iPhone to your Mac (with iPhoneModem) or Windows machine (with PDANet). Keep in mind, the iPhone has always supported tethering—iPhone 3.0 simply brings an <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175391/how-to-enable-3g-tethering-in-your-iphone-30-now">official software tool</a> to do it, but it's still up to the network carriers to enable the feature (and set the pricing). Tethering via these jailbreak solutions works in the meantime, but be careful with how much data you use to not raise any eyebrows at the Death Star.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488027639_Picture_11.png" height="238" width="158" /><strong>Email Multiple Photos: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=303016326&mt=8">Emailpix</a> (App Store, $3)</strong><br /> There have been several official apps touting multi-photo emailing, but for the most part they've been sloppily implemented. Emailpix does it fairly smoothly, though, and gives you a choice of resolution to send to save time. Granted, it takes a while, and emails are sent from Emailpix's server, so you may not want to use it for your nude self portraits.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488461574_IMG_0056.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Bluetooth File Transfer: <a href="http://www.medevil.net/">iBluetooth</a> (Cydia, Free 15-day trial)</strong><br /> iBluetooth lets you pair with your computer to send and receive files. It's kind of buggy, but does work (try setting up a PIN code if you can't get your phone to pair initially).<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488679584_IMG_0057.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Universal Search: <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=2925">Search</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> It doesn't search your applications or your iTunes music like the 3.0 version, but Search is great for the most valuable searching situation: email. It also searches contacts, notes, SMS and the web. If you have a ton of apps, consider pairing Search with <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=3133">QuickGold</a>, a Quicksilver-like app launcher that can also search your contacts, SMSs and Safari history in addition to apps.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489938826_IMG_0063.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Accelerometer Controls: <a href="http://www.mcleaner.com/iphone_w/mcoolphone.shtml">mCoolPhone</a> (Cydia, Free Trial/$3)</strong><br /> The "shake to shuffle" feature in OS 3.0 is kind of lame, and while mCoolPhones can't touch your iTunes functionality, it lets you assign shake events to various other phone functions, like answering calls.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488873687_iphonenotes032508.jpg" height="136" width="158" /><strong>Notes Sync: <a href="http://www.v1ru8.net/2008/03/23/new-iphonenotes-03/">iPhoneNotes</a> (Mac-only desktop App, Jailbreak required. Free)</strong><br /> To pull off native notes sync, make sure you have OpenSSH installed on your jailbroken phone and grab iPhoneNotes, which will import all of your notes and also sync back any text file you have on your computer.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237488941291_screenshot-01.png" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Background Apps/Push Notifications: <a href="http://code.google.com/p/iphone-backgrounder/wiki/Documentation">Backgrounder</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> iPhone 3.0 will attempt to solve the multitasking problem by providing a long-awaited framework for push notifications, which will allow apps to get your attention when they're not running. But it stops short of true background multitasking, which most Cydia apps are capable of (especially services like SSH). You can use Backgrounder to force official App Store apps to keep running even when you switch away to another app. It's great for keeping IM apps open and signed in while you do other things.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489025622_IMG_0058.PNG" height="105" width="158" /><strong>Landscape Keyboard: <a href="http://irealsms.com/">iRealSMS</a> (Cydia, €10) and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=294770918&mt=8">EasyWriter</a> (App Store, Free)</strong><br /> Ah, the beloved landscape keyboard. In iPhone 3.0 it's coming system-wide (finally), but you've been able to get one in the most important typing apps (email and SMS) for a while. For email, try the free EasyWriter App Store app, and for SMS, there's iRealSMS, which also adds a number of other features for hardcore texters like quick-replying and advanced sorting.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489269987_sendmms.jpg" height="237" width="158" /><strong>MMS: <a href="http://www.swirlyspace.com/">SwirlyMMS</a> (Cydia, $8) and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=304636819&mt=8">Get MMS</a> (App Store, $4)</strong><br /> MMS is a major hole, and its implementation via unofficial apps thus far has been shoddy. The best is SwirlyMMS, but even that doesn't work very well with AT&T's MMS provider, which most people will obviously be using. But if you're not on the Death Star, give Swirly a try.</p> <p>Get MMS, on the other hand, makes receiving MMS messages via AT&T's annoying web interface a little easier. It takes a screengrab of the login and password AT&T sends, and lets you save the attached video or photo.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489356237_Picture_12.png" height="238" width="158" /><strong>Voice Memos: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=300447583&mt=8">Epiphany</a> (App Store, $2)</strong><br /> There are a million and a half voice recorders in the App Store, but we love Epiphany, which buffers its recordings and only goes back in time to grab the important parts when you tell it to. It can't send the clip via MMS like iPhone 3.0 will be able to, but it will easily sync with your computer via wi-fi.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><strong>Adding Features Still Missing From iPhone 3.0:</strong></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237489967393_IMG_0065.PNG" height="237" width="158" /><strong>Video Capture: <a href="http://www.modmyi.com/cydia/package.php?id=1392">Cycorder</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> The biggest thing Apple still has yet to add into iPhone 3.0 is video recording. Thankfully, Cycorder is incredibly capable.<br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2009/03/custom_1237491583738_Picture_13.png" height="95" width="158" /><strong>Flash: <a href="http://imobilecinema.com/">iMobileCinema</a> (Cydia, Free)</strong><br /> iMobileCinema is a deep, deep beta plugin for Safari that supposedly enables Flash videos for a few sites. Its major compatibility claim though, with Google Video and YouTube, is moot because Apple's YouTube app catches these URLs and plays them fine. A good project to keep an eye on though.<br clear="all" /></p> <p>So as you can see, the majority of iPhone 3.0's feature additions are already needs that have been addressed by third-party devs. Of course, most of these apps will not be as elegant as Apple's native solution, but it shows that iPhone 3.0 is largely about catching up.</p> <p><em>The jailbreak world is big. If you know of any apps not covered here that address any of these features, please let everyone know in the comments. Additional research for this post by Nick Ellenoff</em><br /> </p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueHow To: Fake the iPhone 3.0 OS On Your iPhone Todaybasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5175586/how-to-fake-the-iphone-30-os-on-your-iphone-todayrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5175586/how-to-fake-the-iphone-30-os-on-your-iphone-todayupdatedThu, 19 Mar 2009 15:40:00 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 19 19:40:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009319194003780titleHow to Enable 3G Tethering in Your iPhone 3.0 Nowwfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5175391&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermappleschemelabelterm3G tetheringschemelabeltermInternet tetheringschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiPhone 3.0schemelabeltermiphone 3gschemelabeltermiPhone OS 3.0schemelabeltermtetheringschemelabeltermthe third comingschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/tether-3g.jpg" height="389" width="804" />We haven't tried this but someone has published a tutorial about how to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175020/iphone-3g-tethering-now-working-for-someone-somewhere">enable 3G tethering</a> in the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know">iPhone OS 3.0</a>. [<b>Update: It works with AT&T</b>]</p> <p><b>Warning: ONLY DO THIS IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND CAN ACCEPT THE RISK*</b></p> <p>To get this to work with AT&T, follow these instructions:</p> <p>1. Download <a href="http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/iphonetetheringfile.dmg">this file</a>. The image files contains a modifid ATT_US.ipcc file, which is a bundle that contains different property list XML files. These text files enable or disable functions in the iPhone.</p> <p>2. Plug your iPhone with <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-os-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE OS 3.0">iPhone OS 3.0</a>, and wait for it to connect to iTunes.</p> <p>3. Option + Click on the "Check for updates" in the iPhone screen.</p> <p>4. Select the ATT_US.ipcc file.</p> <p>5. The iPhone's version of the file will update.</p> <p>6. Once it restarts, go to Settings > General > Network and turn on tethering.</p> <p>7. Enable the USB connection, but say no to the Bluetooth tethering.**</p> <p>Done. Now connect your iPhone to the computer. The computer will automatically detect a network connection on the USB port. It just works.</p> <p>Turn off your Wi-Fi or unplug your Ethernet to check how it works.</p> <p>** Tethering over Bluetooth only works with older hardware, before the current revisions (Bluetooth to <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/3g-tethering/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged 3G TETHERING">3G tethering</a> won't work in the unibody MacBooks.)</p> <blockquote> <p>*WARNING: A reader reports that since installing this file this morning, he ran into some problems:</p> <p>• Camera icon is gone in the messages app (doesn't matter, since there's no MMS capability yet).<br /> • Voicemails are not coming in.<br /> • There's no data on 3G bandwidth consumption in your online AT&T account. <b>BEWARE: SINCE TETHERING IS NOT SUPPORTED BY AT&T, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MAY BE CHARGING YOU FOR USING IT</b></p> </blockquote> <p>[File from <a href="http://www.joachimbean.com/Computer_Inventory/News/Entries/2009/3/19_Tethering_on_iPhone_OS_3.0_over_AT%26T.html">joachimbeam</a>—Thanks J.]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJesus Diazidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5175391guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/tether-3g.jpg" height="389" width="804" />We haven't tried this but someone has published a tutorial about how to <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5175020/iphone-3g-tethering-now-working-for-someone-somewhere">enable 3G tethering</a> in the <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know">iPhone OS 3.0</a>. [<b>Update: It works with AT&T</b>]</p> <p><b>Warning: ONLY DO THIS IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND CAN ACCEPT THE RISK*</b></p> <p>To get this to work with AT&T, follow these instructions:</p> <p>1. Download <a href="http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/iphonetetheringfile.dmg">this file</a>. The image files contains a modifid ATT_US.ipcc file, which is a bundle that contains different property list XML files. These text files enable or disable functions in the iPhone.</p> <p>2. Plug your iPhone with <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-os-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE OS 3.0">iPhone OS 3.0</a>, and wait for it to connect to iTunes.</p> <p>3. Option + Click on the "Check for updates" in the iPhone screen.</p> <p>4. Select the ATT_US.ipcc file.</p> <p>5. The iPhone's version of the file will update.</p> <p>6. Once it restarts, go to Settings > General > Network and turn on tethering.</p> <p>7. Enable the USB connection, but say no to the Bluetooth tethering.**</p> <p>Done. Now connect your iPhone to the computer. The computer will automatically detect a network connection on the USB port. It just works.</p> <p>Turn off your Wi-Fi or unplug your Ethernet to check how it works.</p> <p>** Tethering over Bluetooth only works with older hardware, before the current revisions (Bluetooth to <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/3g-tethering/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged 3G TETHERING">3G tethering</a> won't work in the unibody MacBooks.)</p> <blockquote> <p>*WARNING: A reader reports that since installing this file this morning, he ran into some problems:</p> <p>• Camera icon is gone in the messages app (doesn't matter, since there's no MMS capability yet).<br /> • Voicemails are not coming in.<br /> • There's no data on 3G bandwidth consumption in your online AT&T account. <b>BEWARE: SINCE TETHERING IS NOT SUPPORTED BY AT&T, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MAY BE CHARGING YOU FOR USING IT</b></p> </blockquote> <p>[File from <a href="http://www.joachimbean.com/Computer_Inventory/News/Entries/2009/3/19_Tethering_on_iPhone_OS_3.0_over_AT%26T.html">joachimbeam</a>—Thanks J.]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueHow to Enable 3G Tethering in Your iPhone 3.0 Nowbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5175391/how-to-enable-3g-tethering-in-your-iphone-30-nowrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5175391/how-to-enable-3g-tethering-in-your-iphone-30-nowupdatedThu, 19 Mar 2009 14:20:00 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 19 18:20:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed2009319182003780titleiPhone 3.0 OS Reveals New iPhones, iPods and the Mysterious "iProd"wfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5175348&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermiphoneschemelabelterm1schemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermiPhone 3.0schemelabeltermiphone3schemelabeltermipodschemelabeltermipod touchschemelabeltermipod3schemelabeltermiprodschemelabeltermrumorschemelabeltermtopschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/medium_2167867785_21c57ec5d9_o_01.jpg" height="400" width="600" />The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a> OS <a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/03/more-evidence-arises-for-future-iphone-models-in-latest-beta.ars">has references</a> to brand new iPhone models (not just one, but <em>two</em>), a new iPod and the mysterious "iProd."</p> <p>A quick rundown on Apple model naming conventions. The original iPhone is known as iPhone1,1 and the iPhone 3G is iPhone1,2. The first number refers to the overarching model, so when it changes, it indicates a a genuinely new product, not simply a bump in storage capacity (or even the mere addition of 3G). So that the models referenced in the iPhone 3.0's OS are iPhone3,1; iPod3,1; iFPGA; and iProd0,1 is is worth noting—we're talking <em>significant</em> hardware updates to the iPhone and <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/ipod-touch/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPOD TOUCH">iPod touch</a> worthy of a new model number.</p> <p>iPhone2,1 was <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5141702/macrumors-first-proof-of-next-gen-iphone/">first discovered back in October</a>, though it's <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5067405/macbook-nano-or-iphone-slate-caught-online-says-nyt">not the first mysterious Apple device</a> to turn up in sites' traffic logs.</p> <p>Boy Genius has <a href="http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/03/19/evidence-of-new-iphones-new-ipod-touch/">some more detail</a> on the model number breakdowns found in the iPhone OS 3.0 ramdisk:<br /></p> <blockquote>iPhone2,1 - 0×1294<br /> iProd0,1 - 0×1295<br /> iPod2,2 - 0×1296<br /> iPhone3,1 - 0×1297<br /> iFPGA - 0×1298<br /> iPod3,1 - 0×1299″</blockquote> <p>For reference, past models went like this:<br /></p> <blockquote>iPhone First Gen - 0×1290<br /> iPod touch 1G - 0×1291<br /> iPhone 3G - 0×1292<br /> iPod touch 2G - 0×1293</blockquote> <p>The iFPGA model—as in field-programmable gate arrays—is likely something never to be released, reckons Ars. But what of the mysterious iProd? The string 0,1 indicates it's a prototype or codename, since products are released at 1,1. Could this generic iProduct—if it's not in fact a touchscreen cattle prod, which would be excellent—be that long-fabled <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5067405/macbook-nano-or-iphone-slate-caught-online-says-nyt">Mac tablet</a>/<a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5121277/rumor-apple-launching-giant-ipod-touch-next-fall">netbook</a>/wet dream? Or maybe it's something else altogether, like magic French toast. Mmmm. [<a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/03/more-evidence-arises-for-future-iphone-models-in-latest-beta.ars">Ars</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthormatt buchananidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5175348guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/medium_2167867785_21c57ec5d9_o_01.jpg" height="400" width="600" />The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a> OS <a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/03/more-evidence-arises-for-future-iphone-models-in-latest-beta.ars">has references</a> to brand new iPhone models (not just one, but <em>two</em>), a new iPod and the mysterious "iProd."</p> <p>A quick rundown on Apple model naming conventions. The original iPhone is known as iPhone1,1 and the iPhone 3G is iPhone1,2. The first number refers to the overarching model, so when it changes, it indicates a a genuinely new product, not simply a bump in storage capacity (or even the mere addition of 3G). So that the models referenced in the iPhone 3.0's OS are iPhone3,1; iPod3,1; iFPGA; and iProd0,1 is is worth noting—we're talking <em>significant</em> hardware updates to the iPhone and <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/ipod-touch/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPOD TOUCH">iPod touch</a> worthy of a new model number.</p> <p>iPhone2,1 was <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5141702/macrumors-first-proof-of-next-gen-iphone/">first discovered back in October</a>, though it's <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5067405/macbook-nano-or-iphone-slate-caught-online-says-nyt">not the first mysterious Apple device</a> to turn up in sites' traffic logs.</p> <p>Boy Genius has <a href="http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/03/19/evidence-of-new-iphones-new-ipod-touch/">some more detail</a> on the model number breakdowns found in the iPhone OS 3.0 ramdisk:<br /></p> <blockquote>iPhone2,1 - 0×1294<br /> iProd0,1 - 0×1295<br /> iPod2,2 - 0×1296<br /> iPhone3,1 - 0×1297<br /> iFPGA - 0×1298<br /> iPod3,1 - 0×1299″</blockquote> <p>For reference, past models went like this:<br /></p> <blockquote>iPhone First Gen - 0×1290<br /> iPod touch 1G - 0×1291<br /> iPhone 3G - 0×1292<br /> iPod touch 2G - 0×1293</blockquote> <p>The iFPGA model—as in field-programmable gate arrays—is likely something never to be released, reckons Ars. But what of the mysterious iProd? The string 0,1 indicates it's a prototype or codename, since products are released at 1,1. Could this generic iProduct—if it's not in fact a touchscreen cattle prod, which would be excellent—be that long-fabled <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5067405/macbook-nano-or-iphone-slate-caught-online-says-nyt">Mac tablet</a>/<a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5121277/rumor-apple-launching-giant-ipod-touch-next-fall">netbook</a>/wet dream? Or maybe it's something else altogether, like magic French toast. Mmmm. [<a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/03/more-evidence-arises-for-future-iphone-models-in-latest-beta.ars">Ars</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueiPhone 3.0 OS Reveals New iPhones, iPods and the Mysterious "iProd"basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5175348/iphone-30-os-reveals-new-iphones-ipods-and-the-mysterious-iprodrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5175348/iphone-30-os-reveals-new-iphones-ipods-and-the-mysterious-iprodupdatedThu, 19 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 19 18:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200931918003780titleExclusive: WiMax Uncapped Speed Testswfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5174718&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermreviewschemelabelterm4gschemelabeltermclearschemelabeltermclearwireschemelabeltermcomcastschemelabeltermfeatureschemelabeltermlteschemelabeltermsprintschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermwimaxschemelabeltermwirelessschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/WiMax_speed_shot.jpg" height="530" width="804" />A cable modem in your pocket. Rockin' down the highway with video on demand. <i>Real</i> wireless broadband. I tested an unthrottled Clearwire WiMax connection all over Portland, and that's (mostly) what I got.</p> <p>It's hard to conceive of harnessing that much bandwidth wirelessly while sitting outside a shopping center, enjoying an unseasonably warm March day. It's almost a joke, being able to watch Jon Stewart ream Jim Cramer—streamed via Hulu—while sitting in the backseat of a Lincoln Navigator doing 60 on the freeway. Having reviewed gadgets for almost a decade, I sometimes have to fake excitement that I may not truly feel in my loins. But this is different—real, honest-to-God wireless broadband made me freakin' giddy, even if it didn't deliver peak speeds at every spot where I parked.</p> <p>If most of what we review is a chunk of the present, WiMax is from the future. Thankfully, it's the near future.</p> <p><b>The Test</b><br /> Clearwire is a wireless data service now majority owned by Sprint (but with Comcast and others holding stakes). Currently it's got the Clear WiMax service in both Portland and Baltimore. In Portland, it sells mobile and home modems that can pull down up to 4Mbps, but you know from <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5168035/giz-explains-why-wimax-and-lte-wireless-4g-data-will-blow-your-mind">reading Giz Explains</a> that WiMax is already capable of a lot more: It's the first 4G network that's actually up and running in the US.</p> <p>Clearwire gave me a chance to see what WiMax was like without any throttling: I got a USB dongle that could pull down whatever was out there. That turned out to be, in some places, nearly 13Mbps downstream—the current speed of your typical cable modem, and about 10 times what <i>wired</i> broadband delivered just a few years back.</p> <p>I trekked around Portland, OR for a couple of days, testing the boundaries of the WiMax network, and spot testing in different locations around town to see what I got. I used the Motorola USBw25100 WiMax dongle, connected directly to a very sweet, very pimped-out HP Pavilion dv4 notebook that I borrowed for the occasion. (At the moment, there's no Mac driver for the WiMax modem, but as you can imagine that's in the works.)</p> <p></p> <p>As a helpful comparison, I used a 3G dongle from Verizon Wireless. I want to be clear that this isn't to be read as a test of Verizon's Portland network. However, that little USB modem held its own amazingly well, 3G beating 4G on a few occasions—at one point reaching a top speed of 3.3Mbps—so good on you, Verizon!</p> <p>The tests were fairly simple, and resembled the ones we used for our <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5111989/the-definitive-coast+to+coast-3g-data-test">Coast-to-Coast 3G Test</a> last fall. I ran the <a href="http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/">Speakeasy Speed Test</a> a minimum of five times in each location with each connection, then averaged those results. I loaded a very heavy page—the <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hubble_images">Wikimedia Commons Hubble Images</a> page—at least five times, timing the pageload with the YSlow plug-in for Firefox. And I pinged local servers in three sets of 10 to determine latency. I chose locations based on their overall geographic variety, throwing in some locations that just made sense for me to visit, like my in-laws, and the family of my buddy Tom.</p> <p>Here are the locations, neatly marked on the map, followed by a chart of test results:</p> <p><br /> <small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=45.522856,-122.676601&spn=0.298146,0.539703&t=h&msid=102837395151710829167.0004655e31dbf2bf64e3e&source=embed">View Larger Map</a></small><br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/WiMax_field_test_chart.gif" height="598" width="627" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p><b>Hot Spots and Cold Spots</b><br /> As you can see, though I got the kind of awesomeness that blisters during three of my stops, I saw some mediocrity in three more, and in one location, smack in the center of town, I got nothing at all. When I checked with Clearwire, they not surprisingly told me I had accidentally chosen four locations that were slated for improved coverage, the two downtown locations set to get lit up in the coming months.</p> <p>The up side of the experience was exciting enough that the downside didn't bash my spirits. You'll notice in the chart that even when the connection wasn't that great, latency tended to stay low, and even when the connection was shabby, the download speeds tended to stay at or above 3G levels. I mean, before now, when was 1.2Mbps wireless considered a <i>bad</i> thing? Uploads were consistently just below 2Mbps—a far cry from the 10Mbps I can get with hard-wired cable, but pretty much on par with 3G.</p> <p>Clearwire has to lease all of its cell towers just like any other wireless carrier, and not having a legacy network in place does keep it from automatically having a tower everywhere it's needed. Also, the fact that WiMax runs in the 2.5GHz band points to a need for more towers. 3G is in the 1.8 to 2.1GHz, and the proposed LTE operates in the 700MHz spectrum. Though WiMax's higher frequency may guarantee a more stronger signal closer in, it also has shorter range with the same power. WiMax doesn't feel like Wi-Fi—it can handle smooth handoffs from tower to tower at high speeds—but the Clearwire coverage map of Portland does look a bit like a tightly packed collection of hotspots.</p> <p>This can be good news: Clearwire knows every inch of the city, and can look up any customer's home, workplace or favorite hangout to see if getting the service even makes sense. But it also means that if you're not covered—depending on how a school board votes about what happens on their rooftops, or what the local port authority has to say about radio antennas—it may be a while before that changes.</p> <p><b>Rockin' Down the Highway</b><br /> Like most carriers, Clearwire takes advantage the many tall cell towers that line the highway, meaning you get WiMax's sick bandwidth pretty much unbroken as you fly down the road at 60 or 70 miles per hour. In the following video—in 90 quick seconds—you'll see the following:<br /> • Speakeasy speedtest showing roughly 13Mbps at 60 miles per hour<br /> • Skype voice call (sorry we didn't do a video conference)<br /> • Slingbox video that's being uploaded via WiMax at Clearwire's office, and downloaded via WiMax in the car<br /> • Hulu, where we load up and begin watching a full-screen episode of <i>The Daily Show</i>, at 70 miles per hour</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/stills/wimaxcar_giz.flv.jpg" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p><b>In Summary:</b></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" /> It's easy to reach download speeds that are four times the peak of today's best 3G networks</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" /> Power demand does not seem to be any greater than other wireless connections</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" /> Most available Clear services now are capped at 4Mbps, though uncapped plans may be available sometime this year</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" /> Only a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5165274/wimax-4g-to-hit-80-markets-by-2010-clearwire-offering-3g4g-modem-soon">handful of cities</a> will have this service in 2009, with <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5165274/wimax-4g-to-hit-80-markets-by-2010-clearwire-offering-3g4g-modem-soon">more to come in 2010</a></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" /> Wide fluctuations in bandwidth feel weird: 12Mbps upside makes 3Mbps feel like a disappointing trickle</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" /> Within Portland's city limits, there were plenty of dead zones that will hopefully be filled in soon</p> <p>[<a href="http://www.clearwire.com/">More information on Clearwire service</a>]</p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorWilson Rothmanidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5174718guidislinkfalsesummary<p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/WiMax_speed_shot.jpg" height="530" width="804" />A cable modem in your pocket. Rockin' down the highway with video on demand. <i>Real</i> wireless broadband. I tested an unthrottled Clearwire WiMax connection all over Portland, and that's (mostly) what I got.</p> <p>It's hard to conceive of harnessing that much bandwidth wirelessly while sitting outside a shopping center, enjoying an unseasonably warm March day. It's almost a joke, being able to watch Jon Stewart ream Jim Cramer—streamed via Hulu—while sitting in the backseat of a Lincoln Navigator doing 60 on the freeway. Having reviewed gadgets for almost a decade, I sometimes have to fake excitement that I may not truly feel in my loins. But this is different—real, honest-to-God wireless broadband made me freakin' giddy, even if it didn't deliver peak speeds at every spot where I parked.</p> <p>If most of what we review is a chunk of the present, WiMax is from the future. Thankfully, it's the near future.</p> <p><b>The Test</b><br /> Clearwire is a wireless data service now majority owned by Sprint (but with Comcast and others holding stakes). Currently it's got the Clear WiMax service in both Portland and Baltimore. In Portland, it sells mobile and home modems that can pull down up to 4Mbps, but you know from <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5168035/giz-explains-why-wimax-and-lte-wireless-4g-data-will-blow-your-mind">reading Giz Explains</a> that WiMax is already capable of a lot more: It's the first 4G network that's actually up and running in the US.</p> <p>Clearwire gave me a chance to see what WiMax was like without any throttling: I got a USB dongle that could pull down whatever was out there. That turned out to be, in some places, nearly 13Mbps downstream—the current speed of your typical cable modem, and about 10 times what <i>wired</i> broadband delivered just a few years back.</p> <p>I trekked around Portland, OR for a couple of days, testing the boundaries of the WiMax network, and spot testing in different locations around town to see what I got. I used the Motorola USBw25100 WiMax dongle, connected directly to a very sweet, very pimped-out HP Pavilion dv4 notebook that I borrowed for the occasion. (At the moment, there's no Mac driver for the WiMax modem, but as you can imagine that's in the works.)</p> <p></p> <p>As a helpful comparison, I used a 3G dongle from Verizon Wireless. I want to be clear that this isn't to be read as a test of Verizon's Portland network. However, that little USB modem held its own amazingly well, 3G beating 4G on a few occasions—at one point reaching a top speed of 3.3Mbps—so good on you, Verizon!</p> <p>The tests were fairly simple, and resembled the ones we used for our <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5111989/the-definitive-coast+to+coast-3g-data-test">Coast-to-Coast 3G Test</a> last fall. I ran the <a href="http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/">Speakeasy Speed Test</a> a minimum of five times in each location with each connection, then averaged those results. I loaded a very heavy page—the <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hubble_images">Wikimedia Commons Hubble Images</a> page—at least five times, timing the pageload with the YSlow plug-in for Firefox. And I pinged local servers in three sets of 10 to determine latency. I chose locations based on their overall geographic variety, throwing in some locations that just made sense for me to visit, like my in-laws, and the family of my buddy Tom.</p> <p>Here are the locations, neatly marked on the map, followed by a chart of test results:</p> <p><br /> <small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=45.522856,-122.676601&spn=0.298146,0.539703&t=h&msid=102837395151710829167.0004655e31dbf2bf64e3e&source=embed">View Larger Map</a></small><br clear="all" /></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/03/WiMax_field_test_chart.gif" height="598" width="627" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p><b>Hot Spots and Cold Spots</b><br /> As you can see, though I got the kind of awesomeness that blisters during three of my stops, I saw some mediocrity in three more, and in one location, smack in the center of town, I got nothing at all. When I checked with Clearwire, they not surprisingly told me I had accidentally chosen four locations that were slated for improved coverage, the two downtown locations set to get lit up in the coming months.</p> <p>The up side of the experience was exciting enough that the downside didn't bash my spirits. You'll notice in the chart that even when the connection wasn't that great, latency tended to stay low, and even when the connection was shabby, the download speeds tended to stay at or above 3G levels. I mean, before now, when was 1.2Mbps wireless considered a <i>bad</i> thing? Uploads were consistently just below 2Mbps—a far cry from the 10Mbps I can get with hard-wired cable, but pretty much on par with 3G.</p> <p>Clearwire has to lease all of its cell towers just like any other wireless carrier, and not having a legacy network in place does keep it from automatically having a tower everywhere it's needed. Also, the fact that WiMax runs in the 2.5GHz band points to a need for more towers. 3G is in the 1.8 to 2.1GHz, and the proposed LTE operates in the 700MHz spectrum. Though WiMax's higher frequency may guarantee a more stronger signal closer in, it also has shorter range with the same power. WiMax doesn't feel like Wi-Fi—it can handle smooth handoffs from tower to tower at high speeds—but the Clearwire coverage map of Portland does look a bit like a tightly packed collection of hotspots.</p> <p>This can be good news: Clearwire knows every inch of the city, and can look up any customer's home, workplace or favorite hangout to see if getting the service even makes sense. But it also means that if you're not covered—depending on how a school board votes about what happens on their rooftops, or what the local port authority has to say about radio antennas—it may be a while before that changes.</p> <p><b>Rockin' Down the Highway</b><br /> Like most carriers, Clearwire takes advantage the many tall cell towers that line the highway, meaning you get WiMax's sick bandwidth pretty much unbroken as you fly down the road at 60 or 70 miles per hour. In the following video—in 90 quick seconds—you'll see the following:<br /> • Speakeasy speedtest showing roughly 13Mbps at 60 miles per hour<br /> • Skype voice call (sorry we didn't do a video conference)<br /> • Slingbox video that's being uploaded via WiMax at Clearwire's office, and downloaded via WiMax in the car<br /> • Hulu, where we load up and begin watching a full-screen episode of <i>The Daily Show</i>, at 70 miles per hour</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/stills/wimaxcar_giz.flv.jpg" /><br clear="all" /></p> <p><b>In Summary:</b></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" /> It's easy to reach download speeds that are four times the peak of today's best 3G networks</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg" /> Power demand does not seem to be any greater than other wireless connections</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" /> Most available Clear services now are capped at 4Mbps, though uncapped plans may be available sometime this year</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/giznormal_01.jpg" /> Only a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5165274/wimax-4g-to-hit-80-markets-by-2010-clearwire-offering-3g4g-modem-soon">handful of cities</a> will have this service in 2009, with <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5165274/wimax-4g-to-hit-80-markets-by-2010-clearwire-offering-3g4g-modem-soon">more to come in 2010</a></p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" /> Wide fluctuations in bandwidth feel weird: 12Mbps upside makes 3Mbps feel like a disappointing trickle</p> <p><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg" /> Within Portland's city limits, there were plenty of dead zones that will hopefully be filled in soon</p> <p>[<a href="http://www.clearwire.com/">More information on Clearwire service</a>]</p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueExclusive: WiMax Uncapped Speed Testsbasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5174718/exclusive-wimax-uncapped-speed-testsrelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5174718/exclusive-wimax-uncapped-speed-testsupdatedThu, 19 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDTupdated_timeThu Mar 19 16:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200931916003780titleiPhone 3.0 Beta OS Walkthrough Videowfw_commentrsshttp://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5174053&view=rssµfeed=truetagstermiPhone 3.0schemelabeltermappleschemelabeltermiphoneschemelabeltermiphone 3.0 videoschemelabeltermiphone 3.0 video walkthroughschemelabeltermtopschemelabeltermvideoschemelabeltermwalkthroughschemelabelsummary_detaillanguagetypetext/htmlvalue<p>You saw our <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know">detailed iPhone OS 3.0 guide</a> and screenshot <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172807/iphone-30-beta-os-impressions-and-walkthrough-gallery">walkthrough gallery</a>, but there are the features of <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a> that are best seen on video.</p> <p>The biggest point to get out of this video is that the copy part of copy and paste works fine, but the paste part is tricky. It's not incredibly clear (right now, in the beta) where you should double tap to enable it. It seems like you need to be doing this inside existing text. The phone refused to paste into a blank spot below actual text. You'll see what I mean when you watch the video.</p> <p>Other than that, the beta is pretty sluggish overall. That comes off most inside the iPod app, but it shows up as random stalls and hangs in apps all over the place.</p> <p><em>Oh and if you like the music, buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Incredibad-Lonely-Island/dp/B001NY4WLA">the CD!</a>. They're The Lonely Island, the guys behind the SNL digital shorts and the movie Hot Rod.</em></p>basehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmlauthorJason Chenidhttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/Gizmodo-5174053guidislinkfalsesummary<p>You saw our <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know">detailed iPhone OS 3.0 guide</a> and screenshot <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5172807/iphone-30-beta-os-impressions-and-walkthrough-gallery">walkthrough gallery</a>, but there are the features of <a href="http://gizmodo.com/tag/iphone-3%270/" class="autolink" title="Click here to read more posts tagged IPHONE 3.0">iPhone 3.0</a> that are best seen on video.</p> <p>The biggest point to get out of this video is that the copy part of copy and paste works fine, but the paste part is tricky. It's not incredibly clear (right now, in the beta) where you should double tap to enable it. It seems like you need to be doing this inside existing text. The phone refused to paste into a blank spot below actual text. You'll see what I mean when you watch the video.</p> <p>Other than that, the beta is pretty sluggish overall. That comes off most inside the iPod app, but it shows up as random stalls and hangs in apps all over the place.</p> <p><em>Oh and if you like the music, buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Incredibad-Lonely-Island/dp/B001NY4WLA">the CD!</a>. They're The Lonely Island, the guys behind the SNL digital shorts and the movie Hot Rod.</em></p>title_detaillanguagetypetext/plainvalueiPhone 3.0 Beta OS Walkthrough Videobasehttp://gizmodo.com/tag/top/index.xmllinkshrefhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5174053/iphone-30-beta-os-walkthrough-videorelalternatetypetext/htmllinkhttp://i.gizmodo.com/5174053/iphone-30-beta-os-walkthrough-videoupdatedWed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EDTupdated_timeWed Mar 18 20:00:00 UTC 2009updated_parsed200931820002770headerscache-controlmax-age=180gawkerapplicationhostPEST-45expiresThu, 19 Nov 1981 08:52:00 GMTp3pCP="IDC DSP COR CURa ADMa OUR IND PHY ONL COM STA"dateTue, 31 Mar 2009 22:54:58 GMTx-powered-byPHP/5.2.9gawkerapplicationganjacontent-typetext/html; charset=utf-8;serverApache/2.0.59 (Unix) PHP/5.2.9 mod_perl/2.0.3 Perl/v5.8.8x-cookie-set0gawkerhostGM52 - D=325642 t=1238540098765383set-cookieSESSID_GANJA=eef57d281797f1f8067832a1bb74cec8; path=/; domain=.gizmodo.com, GANJAUSERSETTINGS=deleted; expires=Mon, 31-Mar-2008 22:54:57 GMT; path=/, GANJAUSERSETTINGS=a%3A1%3A%7Bs%3A3%3A%22css%22%3BN%3B%7D; path=/; domain=.gizmodo.com, SESSID_GANJA_eef57d281797f1f8067832a1bb74cec8_DATA=deleted; expires=Mon, 31-Mar-2008 22:54:57 GMT; path=/; domain=.gizmodo.com, SESSID_GANJA_eef57d281797f1f8067832a1bb74cec8_CHK=8dbe27579bdf8f78e830f4e2c8134ee8; path=/; domain=.gizmodo.com, SESSID_GANJA_eef57d281797f1f8067832a1bb74cec8_REVOL=deleted; expires=Mon, 31-Mar-2008 22:54:57 GMT; path=/; domain=.gizmodo.com, SESSID_GANJA_eef57d281797f1f8067832a1bb74cec8_CHKSUM=deleted; expires=Mon, 31-Mar-2008 22:54:57 GMT; path=/; domain=.gizmodo.com, NSC_hbxlfs-qppm=8efb34043660;path=/pragmano-cachetransfer-encodingchunked | |
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