February 2009
57 posts
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WatchMicrosoft Surface Helps With Super Bowl Security
Many of you have probably read about this but this is the first video I’ve seen of the Super Bowl surface in action. I wish we could get a better look at it, but you know, wouldn’t want a security breach. It’s still cool and worth checking out.
January 2009
91 posts
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WatchBit.Trip: Beat - Trailer
Holy. Shit. Bit.Trip is a 4-bit game coming to only to WiiWare . This is the way to make a rhythm game. I am completely enthralled by watching the trailer. Dare I say downloadable game of the year this early? It is expected to release in February.
[Joystiq]
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Scientists Make Teleporting Happen
I’ve never been more excited about ions. This months Science magazine reports that a team of pretty intelligent people were able to transfer data from one ion to another across … honestly let me just quote Time Magazine because they say it better than I ever could.
Already, physicists have been able to exchange information between light particles — or photons — or between atoms, so...
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No Driving While You Game, Honolulu
Yesterday a proposal to ban playing videogames while driving was passed by the Honolulu City Council. The law was thought necessary after a video was taken of a city bus driver playing a PSP while he was driving.
Logic should outweigh the need for certain laws. This is one of those laws. Driving takes skill and attention, just as much as a videogame. There is no reason, not a single one, why...
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The Saga Continues: DTV Back On Feb. 17th Track
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I wanted this story to be over but like Jason Voorhees it just keeps coming back. Again I’m sorry.
It seems the extension the Senate granted hit a snag in the House. And by snag I mean it didn’t get 2/3rds the vote like it needed making February 17th THE day for the analog to digital switch. Again. Still.
I don’t even have a way to tie in...
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New Technology On The Bandage Front
Bandages. There’s something I never thought would make an article on Nerdology. CNN reports that new electric bandages are coming. A study from 2005 reported that “Our cells work like tiny chemical batteries. Wounds short-circuit them, and a jolt of voltage helps heal them.” The logical conclusion then is a bandage that provides said jolt.
The technology places microscopic...
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Telemarketers Pay
Telemarketers. On the evil scale they rank below Wal-Mart and mosquitos because there is supposed to be a clear line of defense, called the Do Not Call Registry decreed by the Federal Trade Communication. You put your name on that list and you will not be called by telemarketers.
Unfortunately not all of the telemarketing firms follow the rules and many people who are on the Registry have...
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“Life is a video game. No matter how good you get, you are always zapped in the...”
– John Updike. Rest in peace.
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Don't Put Classified Files On Your iPod
Because you might sell it by accident. Chris Ogle in New Zealand purchased a used iPod for 15 dollars. After discovering that it wouldn’t play music he dove into see what was stored on the hard drive. Turns out it was 60 pages of US military data and loads personnel files for soldiers that served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It seems no one knows how this information got onto the iPod or how...
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Congress Grants DTV Extension
When last we left our hero, President Obama was waiting for Congress to get back to him about his proposed delay for the digital television transition.
Today the Senate passed that proposal moving the digital transition date from February 17th to June 12th. This should give people enough time to either buy a real television or get a converter box. No word on weather the converter boxes would be...
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Camera Phone Predator Alert Act
Who wouldn’t be on board with something called the Camera Phone Predator Alert Act. By name alone this is something I am for. Unfortunately by practice this may be the stupidest Act ever to come across the desks of Congress. The Act reads:
“Requires any mobile phone containing a digital camera to sound a tone whenever a photograph is taken with the camera’s phone. Prohibits...
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“I even wrote poetry to Ultima games, so, that was nerdy.”
– Felicia Day, discussing her gaming repertoire on Major Nelson Radio
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Something Stupid From Oklahoma
States are desperately trying to keep businesses up and running so offering incentives to draw companies to their state or to keep them from moving abroad is not unusual. What is unusual is only giving to certain members of an industry. Take Oklahoma for example.
The state is proposing tax breaks for game developers, which is awesome and a great way to grow the business in that state. However,...
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WatchI find this funnier than I probably should. It went up two days ago on College Humor so most of you have probably seen it already. If not it’s totally worth the watch.
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US Gets Go Ahead For Stem Cell Trial
It’s been almost ten years coming but the FDA has finally approved the first study on human stem cell therapy. This decision was impossible before due to a lack of funding for this kind of research. The Bush administration was very vocally against this type of science limiting the amount of work that could be done.
Dr Tom Okarma said: “What stem cells promise for a heart attack or...
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Edge Lists 5 Cardinal Sins of Official Game Sites
The number one sin on this list is the absolute abuse of Flash. I completely understand this gripe. I too often come to sites that are so minimalist and so flash-y that they are impossible to navigate because menus are hidden and then I can’t use my browser controls. A site should present all the information you want and give you easy access to it. Flash does the exact opposite. Stop...
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Dog Face 2 - Chocolate Covered Robots
Aside from...
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Watching Obama? You Should Be Watching Your Credit...
Yesterday as Barack Obama was being sworn in the largest data heist in history was being exposed. It was revealed that potentially 100 million credit card and debit card numbers were stolen from Heartland Payment Systems. And the Secret Service (really?!) says that malware is to blame for the gaping hole in their security.
Heartland believes the malware worked by intercepting credit card...
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Obama Hangs Out With 10 Month Old Named Jedi →
President elect (or President depending on what time you read this) spent the day before his inauguration painting a homeless and at-risk youth shelter. One of the kids there was a 10 month old baby boy named Jedi… yup, his parents named him Jedi.
Look, I’m a pretty big Star Wars fan, it’s not something that I hide. But naming your kid Jedi is exactly the kind of thing that...
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Overthinking Back to the Future
Overthinkingit.com brings you Back to the Future week where (as you might have guessed) they take ideas or concepts from Back to the Future and over think them. The one that really caught my eye was The Science of Back To The Future. Not because its the most interesting, but because the amount of calculations might make your head explode. Apparently time travel isn’t as simple as leaving...
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Violence Does Not An Enjoyable Game Make
Add The Canadian Press to list of things I love about Canada, along side hockey and curling. The Canadian Press just did a study about violence in videogames and its correlation to the enjoyment a player has.
The way it boils down is two groups played different versions of Half Life 2, widely regarded as one of the best games of all time. One group played it with added gore. One group played...
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Engadget Has A Netflix Roundup →
I never was really big into Netflix until I had the ability to stream them to my Xbox. There are a few other devices that allow you to stream including one Blu-Ray player. It’s a solid review of all the options and totally worth the read. Even if you don’t have Netflix now, having it on demand may change your opinion of the service.
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Google Cancels 6 Services; No One Notices
Even Google is having a tough time in this economy. They just announced that they are putting six services on the shopping block, 5 of which I’ve never even heard of.
Dodgeball, Catalog Search, Mashup Editor, and Notebook will seise to exist in the next couple of months. While Jaiku will become an open source engine project. And lastly Google Video will no longer allow users to upload...
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Make Your Own Super Bouncy Ball! →
I want to do this so badly. Could it be this simple? Sounds like something I am going to have to investigate further.
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3 Million Infected With Windows Worm →
So glad to using a Mac. This whole story tells two important things that we already knew. 1) DLL files are a waste 2) Update your system when you’re supposed to and you won’t have this problem.
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Warner and Fox Settle Watchmen Dispute... I Still...
Yesterday 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers Entertainment settled their dispute on who would be distributing the upcoming and highly anticipated film Watchmen. Honestly though, anyone reading this probably knows all about Watchmen.
Since this settlement came out of court one can only assume that Warner wrote a check to Fox, since a judge already ruled that Fox held the rights to distribute....
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RIP Circuit City →
“Circuit City Inc. said Friday it will close its remaining 567 U.S. stores and sell all its merchandise.” … Someone is going to have to keep me out of the shops for the sake of my wallet. I have a well known Circuit City problem.