2007 May

Video games are a fun way to suck time out of your life. But some game designers make their games incredibly frustrating to play. Gamers just want to have fun. Challenges are one thing, but insane levels that must be repeated fifty times to be completed are just… well… insane!
That’s why cheat codes exist. Well, [...]

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels - the principal driver of climate change - have accelerated globally at a far greater rate than expected over recent years, according to a paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The paper explains that the average growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions increased [...]

Sony, although shaky in its quality sometimes, is possibly the only company that offers cutting-edge ultra portable notebooks to its users. It’s usually the only company to have the latest technologies packed in some of the world’s thinnest designs ready to go. This time again Sony’s VAIO series expects to add a latest ultra portable [...]

When my children were learning to drive a car, we insisted that they learn on a manual stick transmission. They were a little taken aback since they thought all cars were automatic. We were able to convince them that it would be better to have the ability to drive one and not need to, rather [...]

After Apple announced its iPhone, everybody else pretty much followed soon after. It was almost as though other companies were waiting to see how the marketplace would react to such a revolutionary design, and then release their own iPhone. Of course, it’s probably not true, and a lot of engineers ended up working overtime to [...]

If the proverbial genie gave Internet users three wishes for an improved network, what would they ask for?

Peace of mind about secure financial transactions

Protection from hackers

Inventive new applications that improve the quality of life

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers are working together to design a bold new research platform called GENI, the [...]

My youngest daughter has had an ambition in life for about seven years. She wants to interview Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees in the clubhouse at Yankee Stadium. All through high school, that is what she wanted to do. Now she is enrolled in a broadcast journalism class, and is trying to make [...]

A team of University of Georgia researchers has developed a new biofuel derived from wood chips. Unlike previous fuels derived from wood, the new and still unnamed fuel can be blended with biodiesel and petroleum diesel to power conventional engines.
“The exciting thing about our method is that it is very easy to do,” said Tom [...]

Electrical engineers from the University of Delaware and Cambridge NanoTech have demonstrated for the first time how the spin properties of electrons in silicon — the world’s most dominant semiconductor, used in electronics ranging from computers to cell phones — can be measured and controlled.
The discovery could dramatically advance the nascent field of spintronics, which [...]

We have a dog in the family. Actually, it is my wife’s dog, one that was a birthday present for her a few years ago. But no doubt about it, he is her dog, and I now know my true place in the family. We got him from a registered breeder, one who we checked [...]

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to bond materials that don’t normally stick together. The team’s adhesive, which is based on self-assembling nanoscale chains, could impact everything from next-generation computer chip manufacturing to energy production.
Less than a nanometer — or one billionth of a meter — thick, the nanoglue is inexpensive [...]

Custom-designed contacts improved vision for subjects with keratoconic eyes and offer hope of nonsurgical treatment instead of corneal transplants. University of Rochester researchers describe the custom design techniques and results of visual acuity tests in a paper published in April in Optics Letters.
Keratoconic eyes are rare but disabling. From the side, the eyes look more [...]

One of the oldest competitions for young kids involves not high tech computer wizardry, or rough and tumble contact sports. But it is just as competitive. And, in my opinion, more fun.
Each year, youngsters from all over the world race the cars they build or assemble themselves for the Soap Box Derby. Though today’s cars [...]

All right, well, this is interesting. The Motorola RAZR V9m is the entry level model of the three phones: V8, V9, and V9m. You would think that the V8 would take over the entry level spot, but apparently the model numbers are assigned in an interestingly odd way. We would be interested to hear Motorola’s [...]

Congoo, a free premium information network, has announced the launch of News Circles, the first platform where users can easily select from hundreds of news categories to build and share custom news portals. The service includes tools for blogging and sharing thoughts with a specific group of users in a public or private forum - [...]

Nemoptic, an e-paper display company for consumer and professional handheld devices, has announced that the company is launching a new A4 e-paper display. A4 e-paper displays (210 x 297mm) allow content to be updated frequently and let users save paper, as documents can be viewed on screen. Nemoptic and office equipment suppliers see growth potential [...]

Some of the most beautiful flowers in the world are roses, and when they are wet, they are exceptionally beautiful. But getting a rose that looks good and smells good can be very easy — if you know some of the tricks.
You might be surprised to know that roses are much easier to care for [...]

It’s a cooker, a fridge, and a generator in one — and it could have a huge impact on the lives of people in the world’s poorest communities.
The £2m SCORE (Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration and Electricity) project brings together experts from across the world to develop a wood-powered generator capable of both cooking and cooling [...]

Ccube has announced that its over-the-phone social network lets Craigslist users talk to anyone instantly, while remaining completely anonymous. Craigslist users need only include their Ccube usernames or “Call me on Ccube” buttons to speak directly with potential buyers or romantic partners without revealing their real phone numbers.
“Craigslist is a ‘community catalyst’ that contributes real [...]

You have friends that use AIM, others that use YIM, and yet others that use Windows Messenger. How do you talk to them all? We will show you here.
The very best application out there that allows you to talk to all three of the popular messengers is called Trillian. Trillian is a very user friendly [...]