Archive for September 29th, 2009
The iPhone App and Daniel Johnston
29, Sep 2009
Fans of Daniel Johnston, rejoice! There is now a beautifully cell-shaded, tilt-controlled puzzle game just for you.
“Hi, How Are You?” features images and music from the man himself, enclosed in a iPhone app that proves to actually be an entertaining game.
NASA announces a contest to choose the next contest
29, Sep 2009
Apparently you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to help NASA. The space agency just posted a request for suggestions for future prize contests on their website, and anyone may submit an idea.
- In: Tek Oh!
- Tags: Contest, Headline, NASA, Technology
Belkin wants to save the boobs
29, Sep 2009
Belkin announced two new iPod related products today, a adjustable arm strap, and a protective case. What makes these special? Both are branded with the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure logo, and a portion of the sales go to the prevention of breast cancer.
The trickle of news about Microsoft’s Courier device continues, and this time there’s a bit more of a realistic walkthrough. The device is being shown to be much more of a next-generation notepad than all-purpose tablet, and that’s probably for the best; Microsoft overreaching with a device like this could result in a real crash and burn. I suppose the best way to picture the Courier is just as a web-connected organizer — you know, one of those leather-bound ones that business people used to have, and which the Courier seems clearly designed after.
Of course, with an internet connection and full-color touchscreen, much more is enabled and the device becomes much more complicated. Microsoft’s (and Pioneer’s) task has been to pare that down to a product, and it really looks like they’ve done it right.
Smartphones are great. Ubiquitous data access is great. Mobile computing is great. Unfortunately, each smartphone represents its own little walled garden of convenience. Apple’s iPhone is tied tightly with iTunes and various other Apple services. Android is tied tightly with Google services. Each manufacturer makes a modicum of effort to allow their smartphone to sync with someone else’s services, but as is too often the case, such integration is usually lacking some important functionality. After all, there’s little business incentive to allow your users to use someone else’s services, right? Enter Funambol, and their open source mobile cloud sync.
Oh, the Verizon Hub. You came to the market just a few years too late. There was a time when a VoIP device with instant messaging capabilities would have been welcomed into the kitchens everywhere but that time was 2006 and not 2009. Now, that market has primarily moved onto full featured smartphones and somewhat killing the need for a home base type device. And so the Hub is no more. Verizon has official canceled the product.
- In: Tek Oh!
- Tags: Headline, Verizon, verizon hub, VZW
Holiday Xbox 360 bundles ahoy: Lego Batman + Pure
29, Sep 2009While I’m sure many of you hang onto Major Nelson’s every word, you might have missed these new holiday bundles that Microsoft is cooking up. There’s the Xbox 360 Elite Holiday Bundle, and the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller Game Pack. What do these bundles contain????
- In: Tek Oh!
- Tags: bundles, Headline, video games, xbox 360
Review: 3M MPro 120 pico-projector
29, Sep 2009The pico-projector market is a new one, and the products are still evolving. It really wasn’t very long ago that this product’s predecessor, the MPro 110, hit the market. It got pretty lame reviews (before which I prematurely called it awesome), but that isn’t really indicative of the worth of this kind of device. A [...]
- In: Tek Oh!
- Tags: Headline, pico-p, pico-projectors, Projectors, Reviews
Use a guitar controller to play poker
29, Sep 2009
Bored? Lazy? Trendy? All of the above? You can turn a run-of-the-mill Guitar Hero or Rock Band controller into a weapon used for checking, folding, calling, raising, lowering, and more – YES! You can play online poker with a guitar controller! Finally!
Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn back with more EFX magic
29, Sep 2009
My favoritest guy who plays who I’ve met recently, Jack Conte, has put together a nice version of Single Ladies by Beyonce with Nataly Dawn. While he and Nataly don’t dress up in leotards and heels – they didn’t get a huge budget for this – they do involve a Polaroid camera and a bowl of Coco Puffs. Great fun all around.