ipod reset: 2008

Monday, October 13, 2008

Podcasts used for uni recruitment

Podcasts used for uni recruitment
OXFORD - What's playing on your iPod? If you're an aspiring university student, Oxford and Cambridge hope it's them. Britain's elite universities uploaded more than 350 hours of podcasts and video podcasts to a new iTunes website...

GBTV #0369 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #0369 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
Asus is pretty good with the cute names. Their new tiny desktop PC will run Linux or XP and they're calling it the Eee Box B202. It'll be available in the States in July.

Western Digital has a new WD Scorpio Black 2.5 inch SATA hard drive for notebooks that's 7200 RPM. It's supposed to be available today, but we couldn't find it anywhere.

JBL's Control NOW speakers are specially shaped to be mounted at 90 degree intersections like corners and ceilings.

The iClooly is a little desktop stand that makes an iPod Touch look like a tiny little iMac.

SawStop is billed as "The World's Safest Table Saw" and based on the Weenie video they use as a demo, I think they're right.

MacBreak 101: Macworld 2008: MetroNap.com

MacBreak 101: Macworld 2008: MetroNap.com
Justine Ezarik explores the MetroNap.com booth at Macworld.

Panasonic, Renesas team to mass produce 32nm chips

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

We've seen some big names working on 32nm chips, and now we can add two more to the mix. According to Nikkei, Panasonic and Renesas have recently developed technology necessary to mass produce the little guys, using metal oxide film (instead of a silicon material) for the insulating layer and titanium nitride for the conducting layer. This has allowed the chips to consume less power, so the 32nm chips operate comparably to their 45nm siblings. Look for a street date sometime in 2011 -- but considering that Toshiba, IBM and others have set a target date of 2010 for their 32nm chips, and Samsung and Intel are aiming at 2009, Panny might be showing up to this party a little late.

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RIM's BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 gets photographed, previewed

Filed under: Cellphones

While many of you may be waiting for some other handset to launch on T-Mobile, BlackBerry addicts may very well be counting down the hours 'til this one lands on the aforesaid carrier. If we just rang your bell, chances are you'll be extremely interested in this here preview, which delivers a whole gaggle of photographs, a decidedly ho hum video (hosted after the break) of the Pearl Flip 8220 in action and a lengthy writeup explaining the ins and outs of RIM's first flip phone. As for highlights, this thing turns into a real monster (read: it's big) when opened, but when closed, it's a real looker. For more on the aesthetics (not to mention some shots beside a few other BlackBerry siblings -- Bold included), head on down to the read link and dig in.

Continue reading RIM's BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 gets photographed, previewed

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GBTV #0411 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #0411 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
GBTV Innovation Week continues and Brief 411 is all about HID. Human Interface Design is all about improving how people interact with machines.

Mice and keyboards have been useful Human Interface Devices, but there seems to be a common longing for something more natural. When we saw Tom Cruise moving images around with gestures in the movie Minority Report, lots of us wanted to be able to do the same thing. At the TED conference in 2006, Jeff Han showed us we could. Multi-touch is now accessible in iPhones and kind of accessible, depending on where you live, in the Microsoft Surface.

We want electronic devices to understand speech. It's a massive challenge and researchers have moved us a long way, but not nearly close enough. Dealing with speech recognition engines via customer service 800 numbers works a lot of the time, but it's the frustrating times that stand out in my memory.

Air touch is my term for multi-touch-like navigation that uses cameras or sensors to monitor gestures rather than contact with a screen. HRP.com wowed us a while back with a Web site that uses a visitor's Web cam for navigation. It isn't perfect, but it's a start.

Cam Trax Technologies is writing software to take advantage of Web cams for navigation in games and other applications.

The ultimate goal in Human Interface Design has to be brain control. We want to be able to think something and watch it happen on the screen. The first company that will bring a mass-market way to do it is Emotiv. Their Emotiv EPOC headset reads brain waves and translates them into action on a computer. The headset will sell for under $300.

7 Firefox Quick Searches You Should Set Up

7 Firefox Quick Searches You Should Set Up
A Firefox Quick Search is one of the coolest Firefox features and at the same time the least known one. Using Quick Search feature you can search a website of your choice directly from the Firefox address bar. So instead of say going to www.youtube.com and then searching for standup comedy, you can set up a [...]

A Firefox Quick Search is one of the coolest Firefox features and at the same time the least known one. Using Quick Search feature you can search a website of your choice directly from the Firefox address bar.

So instead of say going to www.youtube.com and then searching for standup comedy, you can set up a Firefox Quick Search for Youtube and then type in the address bar y standup comedy. Hit enter and you will be taken straight to the search results on Youtube.com.

Let me illustrate how this actually works by setting up a quick search for MakeUseOf.com. And the best thing about this feature is that it takes only about 10 seconds to set up. So, follow me! Once we’re done you will be able to do this for any other website as well.

How To Create Quick Search for MakeUseOf.com

Add a Keyword for this Search …

(2) Next, you should see a small window like the one below. Here basically you need to enter a name for that Quick Search (I usually use the name of the website here) and the keyword that you want to use for it. You might want to use something short and easy to remember for the keyword. For instance, for MakeUseOf it can be muo, for Youtube y or yt or you, etc.

(3) Once it’s been added to your bookmarks you will be able to search the website right from the address bar. For instance, as can be seen above when creating Quick Search for MakeUseOf.com we used the keyword muo.

Now let’s say I want to search MakeUseOf.com for some reverse phone number lookup website. To do that I can simply type muo reverse phone number lookup website into the address bar and hit enter.

And here is where it takes me … directly to the search results.

So as you can see, quick searches can be major time savers. Instead of going to the website and searching from there you’re able to search directly from the Firefox address bar.

I highly recommend you setup Quick Searches for the websites you frequent. Here are some of the essential sites I have on my quick searches.

MakeUseOf

Youtube - I guess it’s fair to assume that for many of us Youtube became the to go place for videos. It’s the only video sharing site I visit. I use keyword you for it.

IMDB - I am a major movie addict and frequently use IMDB (Internet Movie Database) to check reviews and ratings before watching the movie. A quick address bar entry imdb some_movie_title takes me straight to the needed page on IMDB.com.

Wikipedia - The Wikipedia search is already included among default Firefox search engines, nonetheless it’s still a lot faster to search it directly from the address bar. My keyword for Wikipedia search is wik.

Del.icio.us - Believe it or not but I use del.icio.us as much as Google these days. Since you’re searching through people’s bookmarks it can be quite effective when it comes to finding the right website for the task.

PriceGrabber - This lets quickly lookup the price of a product across different retailers. No need to digg through eBay or Amazon listings, simply type in the keyword and product you want to check inside the address bar and hit enter.

ThePirateBay - If you frequently download torrents then setting up a keyword search for your favorite torrent search website might be a good idea as well. I prefer to use ThePirateBay, you may use something else.

What are you favorite Quick Searches? Let me know in comments.

(By) Aibek, the guy behind MakeUseOf.com

New subscriber? Get your freebies at MakeUseOf Downloads. Enjoy!

Tags:browser tips, firefox tips, productivity, shortcuts

Friday, October 10, 2008

Newer MBPs may contain faulty NVIDIA chips

Filed under: Troubleshooting, Macbook Pro

Not a surprise for those who have suffered from the issue, but a welcome admission nonetheless: Apple has now acknowledged that some recent MacBook Pro models contain faulty GeForce 8600M GT chips that cause video display problems. Dell and HP have already told customers similar stories.

In a support document posted yesterday, Apple testily admitted that while NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers were not affected, an internal investigation revealed three models of MacBook Pro indeed had problems.

Our own Cory Bohon wrote about his experience with (what he now believes to be) the same issue back in August.

The models affected were all manufactured between May 2007 and September 2008:

MacBook Pro (17-Inch, 2.4GHz)
MacBook Pro (15-Inch, 2.4/2.2GHz)
MacBook Pro (Early 2008)

If your MacBook Pro is displaying distorted or scrambled video on the screen, or no video at all, you can take your computer to an Apple Authorized Service provider to have it repaired, free of charge. If you've already had your computer serviced for this issue, Apple may issue you a refund for the cost of the service. Free service is available to owners who bought their computer less than two years ago, even if the computer is out of warranty.

The problem is likely to cost NVIDIA up to $200 million to fix; this does not include the likely fallout from shareholder lawsuits alleging that the video-card manufacturer deliberately withheld information on the scope of the chip flaws.

[Via AppleInsider.]

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Wireless freeloaders and how to deal to them

Wireless freeloaders and how to deal to them
Wireless networks - what's not to like? Personally I'm a huge fan of anything that frees me from the stuffy confines of a dark computer room and lets me vege in the lounge or lax out on the lawn with my laptop. Unfortunately, as I...

Thursday, October 9, 2008

GL Golf Lite introduced for iPhone, iPod touch

Nuclear Nova Software has introduced GL Golf Lite, a free version of its 3D golfing game for the iPhone and iPod touch. The game includes obstacles such as water, sand traps, trees and bushes, with an aim towards providing challenges similar to the real game. The Lite version offers four ad-supported courses, though these can still be played an unlimited number of times. In the full version, up to...

ezGear introduces ezView Leather Case for iPhone 3G

ezGear has released the ezView Leather Case for the iPhone 3G. The case features a velcro band that can be used not only to seal the case shut, but to double as a support for landscape viewing. The case protects the entirety of the device, but still leaves access to all important controls, including the touchscreen, sleep/wake button and volume controls....

'Brick' MacBook Pro leaked in up-close spy shot?

Filed under: Laptops

Since we heard those "Brick" rumors the other day, the mill has been all but silent... until now. It's hard to tell exactly what we're looking at here, but damned if this doesn't look like some fancy new MacBook Pro carved out of a single piece of metal (except for those sides, so, there goes that theory). We'll let you make your own decisions after giving this the once over, but if this is what Apple has in store for us, our curiosity is definitely piqued.

Update: MacRumors reports that the photo originates from this Chinese site.

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Icons: It’s Still Orange

I am glad to see that we can maintain some level of RSS icon standards between Mozilla and Microsoft. Wouldn’t be great if this level of cooperation could continue? My last post shared some of our conceptual designs of the feed icon and expressed some of the criteria that we are using to select the right [...]

I am glad to see that we can maintain some level of RSS icon standards between Mozilla and Microsoft. Wouldn’t be great if this level of cooperation could continue?

My last post shared some of our conceptual designs of the feed icon and expressed some of the criteria that we are using to select the right icon. Several of the comments liked icon #4 simply because it looked liked the Firefox icon, and many (like this one) suggested that we work with the Firefox team to standardize on an icon.

This seemed like a very good idea, so in November, Amar and I took a visit down to Silicon Valley to meet with John Lilly and Chris Beard from Mozilla to get their thoughts on it. We all agreed that it’s in the user’s best interest to have one common icon to represent RSS and RSS-related features in a browser. And the winner is… [Source: Microsoft Team RSS Blog]

Suspect wanted in fraud of Apple, Fry's stores

A suspect is on the loose in the case of a fraud targeting Apple and Fry's Electronics stores, according to reports. The San Jose Police Department and the US Secret Service are said to be after Ernesto Ignacio Madrigal, a man accused of obtaining over $75,000 worth of electronics through the use of dubious credit cards from France and Germany. The crime spree is said to have occurred throughout...

MacBreak 20: Automator Media Browser

Leo Laporte and guest Sal Soghoian show you how to use Automator to more easily browse the media on your Mac. Read More

Audi confirms pure electric car, will likely be based on VW Up! concept

Filed under: Transportation

With an electric MINI Cooper just around the bend, a Twin Drive hybrid Volkswagen landing in 2010 and Chevrolet's Volt rolling into showrooms in a matter of months, Audi's ten-year plan is looking a little awkward. Though we've yet to hear that it's actually speeding things up, Peter Schwarzenbauer, who sits on the management board at Ingolstadt, recently confirmed that the company would be offering "a pure electric car" sometime in the future. Additionally, rumors of it being based on the A1 were dashed, opening the door for speculation that it will instead be built around the VW Up! (Lupo) concept. Here's hoping we find our prior to 2018.

[Via Autoblog]

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AlertMe warns of energy vampires, kills them remotely

Filed under: Household

AlertMe alerts you of vampires, kills them remotely

In-home power consumption monitors are trendy pieces of kit lately, with a new one popping up every few months. But, while they're all happy to just kick back and tell you what a wasteful pig you're being, a new service from UK security company AlertMe could actually make you more efficient. Subscribers to the company's monitoring plans, which start at about $260 plus another $17.50/month, will be able to purchase Smart Plugs for $43 each that can communicate wirelessly to an AlertMe Heating Controller. From there subscribers can monitor their energy usage online via computer or phone. That's all standard stuff, but the service also includes keyfobs that will automatically turn down the heat and deactivate devices when you leave, and allows users to manually control the plugs and the thermostat by text message, meaning you'd never be more than a few thumb-presses (and a 20 cent service charge) away from a warm and inviting home.

[Via SmartPlanet]

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New-look Google Reader Is Stunning!

New-look Google Reader Is Stunning!
A Google based RSS reader. Sounds sort of strange to me, but then most of the stuff Google is doing these days generally is. Google Reader, Google’s web-based RSS Aggregator, has had a re-design and I am impressed. It now has a look n’ feel very much like Gmail, which I believe is a pointer to [...]

A Google based RSS reader. Sounds sort of strange to me, but then most of the stuff Google is doing these days generally is.

Google Reader, Google’s web-based RSS Aggregator, has had a re-design and I am impressed. It now has a look n’ feel very much like Gmail, which I believe is a pointer to this product being prepped for mainstream promotion - and/or merged with Gmail. Probably a bit of both, as a standalone RSS Reader is always going to be needed. You’ll recall that the new Yahoo Mail Beta has RSS integrated into its email experience - and the reason for that is quite simply to reach the 250 Million odd people that have a Yahoo Mail account. What better way to make RSS a mainstream experience than to integrate it into the web email platform. So I expect Google to follow suit…. Source: readwriteweb.com

Cool Websites and Tools (edition #183)

Check out some of the latest makeuseof discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For even more app reviews subscribe to makeuseof directory. Want to submit your application to MakeUseOf directory ? See how here. (1) Bitstrips - Fun tool which would work great [...]

Check out some of the latest makeuseof discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For even more app reviews subscribe to makeuseof directory. Want to submit your application to MakeUseOf directory ? See how here.

(1) Bitstrips - Fun tool which would work great for those who love to read comics, because this tool will give them a chance to star themselves in a self-created online comics. Read more: BitStrips - Easily Create Cool Comic Strips Online.

(2) BlueTunes - Online storage box for your MP3 files. BlueTunes lets you store your music online and access it from any web enabled PC. Read more …

(3) Hoaxcall - An online tool that pranksters were waiting for. It lets you make prank calls to any number in the US, Canada or UK. Read more: HoaxCall - Have Fun Making Prank Calls From Your Computer.

(4) In Quotes - New app by Google Labs which searches news and gathers various quotes by the politicians and lets you compare their quotes by hot keywords. Check what Obama and McCain have to say about oil, Iraq, and a variety of other topics. Read more: In Quotes - Compare Politicians’ Quotes By Keywords.

(5) KeyVault - Send text information using the same secure system that is employed during online credit card transactions. Read more: KeyVault - Securely Send Important Info.

(6) Muspy - This handy website can track your favorite bands and artists for new releases and notifiy you via email as soon as there a new album. Read more: Muspy - Get Notified on Album Release Dates.

(7) Pective - This website provides you with pictures of various items (CD case, credit card, soda can, AA battery etc.) in their actual size. You can use these pictures as a point of reference for comparison. Read more: Pective- Find Out The Actual Size of Stuff.

(8) Prohmote - Create an event invitation and send it across to your friends. It doesn’t require creating an account or any kind of registration. Read more: Prohmote - Quickly Create And Promote Events.

(9) Remounce - Set up reminders and announcements through text messages. It is a free service and by looking at the phone carrier list, it appears that people from the US could make the most of it. Read more: Remounce - Easily Set Up Reminders & Announcements.

(10) Skydeck - Free companion for your mobile phone. Manage call history, track available balance, search SMS messages, search call history and several other features. Read more: Skydeck - Track Your Call History and SMS Messages Online.

These are just half of the applications that were added to our directory in the last 3-4 days. To keep up-to-date on all directory additions subscribe to MakeUseOf Directory here. To subscribe via email click here.

(By) Aibek, the guy behind MakeUseOf.

New subscriber? Get your freebies at MakeUseOf Downloads. Enjoy!

Tags:Cool Websites