May 04, 2008
Gaming helps students hone 21st-century skills (eSchool News)
Studies of the brain have pointed to data suggesting that repeated exposure to video games reinforces the ability to create mental maps, inductive discovery such as formulating hypotheses, and the ability to focus on several things at once and respond faster to unexpected stimuli. -Laura Devaney
[From Elizabeth. The article focuses on possibilities with Second Life in a classroom.]
Posted by kuechebj at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2008
Students 'should use Wikipedia' (BBC News)
"You can ban kids from listening to rock 'n' roll music, but they're going to anyway," he added. "It's the same with information, and it's a bad educator that bans their students from reading Wikipedia."
In 2005, at the height of the controversy over the site's accuracy, Mr Wales told the BBC that students who copied information from Wikipedia "deserved to get an F grade". -Alistair Coleman
[Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales's take on citing Wikipedia now and then. An important distinction is made here in that college attempts teaching students how to conduct research in an academic environment toward producing a new or overlooked argument. The constantly changing accuracy or possibility of inaccuracy robs students from finding niches and innovating older ideas. I continue banning my students from citing Wikipedia and I know I am NOT a bad educator. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 10:25 PM | Comments (4)
March 07, 2008
Freeverse unveils iPhone gaming plans (Macworld)
Freeverse's first idea is for a line of "Flick Sports" products for the iPhone and iPod touch -- 3D games that utilize the device's unique input controls for immersive gameplay. Freeverse said it's working on golf, bowling, soccer and baseball games to start. -Peter Cohen
Posted by kuechebj at 07:52 AM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2008
Sony killing 80GB PS3, introducing 120GB or 160GB model with Dual Shock 3? (Engadget)
According to Ars Technica, Sony has some big plans for a PlayStation 3 refresh, starting with a phase-out of the 80GB model. According to an "inside source" -- which Ars claims has been consistently right on video game-related predictions -- the console-maker's new plot is starting to take shape, holding fast to a two-SKU approach on packages, upping the hard drive capacity on systems, and including the Dual Shock 3 controller. The new bundles will take the high / low road, with the source stating that the 40GB model will remain on shelves, while the 80GB, Spider-Man 3-inclusive system will disappear, only to be replaced with a 120GB or 160GB configuration. Of course, right now these are just words on a screen, though in light of Best Buy's recent stock changes, there certainly is an air of movement over at Sony. -Joshua Topolsky
[From Elizabeth. She asks "If the DualShock controller gets any stronger, will anyone be able to still hold on to it? Plus who really needs 160GB of saved games?" and I am not sure the vibration function on the controller is strong at all. I imagine that players who play the MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XI probably need that much hard drive space, but maybe PS3 games are larger files compared with PS2. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 08:20 AM | Comments (2)
November 20, 2007
Man uses Wii calendar to catch cheating wife (Gamepro)
"[In Nov.] I flip through the Wii menu and visit the Mii Channel so I can peruse the many friends that I have created with the guys that I played with in Iraq," writes Tony in an email to GoNintendo. "As I go through the characters, I see there is a Mii that I have not created. It's a guy strikingly similar to my wife's [alleged lover].
"To be sure of this, I went into the Wil Message Board and click on the Calendar option. Through this menu I was able to identify the many nights my wife's Mii and this 'other' Mii Character played Wii Bowling together." -Blake Snow
[According to the article, Tony is an Armed Forces member who returned home after serving a tour in Iraq and passed time playing games on his Nintendo Wii. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 08:41 PM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2007
In Some Schools, iPods are Required Listening (New York Times)
The Union City district, which has a $197 million annual budget, places a priority on bilingual classes because more than one-quarter of its students are learning basic English skills. District officials said the stakes are high; 4 of the district’s 12 schools have been identified as needing improvement under the federal No Child Left Behind law, largely because not enough bilingual students have passed the state reading and math tests. -Winnie Hu
[I theorized that my language skills, although I am a native speaker of English, derive from constantly listening to music on the radio and personal devices (Sony Walkman and Discman) and I thought if people struggling with learning English followed suit, then perhaps language acquisition would be easier. Now I see my hypothesis is right. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2007
Adventures in Macland (Discourse Chronicle)
[A few days ago, I finally replaced my 512MB RAM Hewlett-Packard desktop computer with a new iMac, which completes my conversion from PC. Transitioning from Windows proved relatively painless aside from experiencing empty folders when I burned a copy of my transferred files. For some reason, my iMac saved my files, but did not copy them on my CD-RW.
The only annoying thing about switching to Mac is reformatting my fourth-generation iPod because doing so means ripping my entire CD collection again (currently 2100+ songs), but now my iPod may be used as a portable hard drive. My only criticisms about the new iMac is that it does not come with the OS X Leopard operating system and its keyboard's USB cable is not long enough. I am loving it anyway! BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 09:07 AM | Comments (2)
August 14, 2007
Animator vs. Animation (alanbecker)
[Flash animation of stick figure vs. cursor. From Toby. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)
July 23, 2007
Vibrating GPS rings could make traversing foreign lands easier (Engadget)
The rings vibrate in a variety of manners to instruct the wearer which direction to go, which could certainly help an English tourist in Japan feel a lot more at home. Granted, even the inventor admits that the current design is entirely more suited for a lady, but we can envision quite a few macho gents putting their pride aside in order to refrain from being lost. -Darren Murph
[I recently returned from a vacation visiting my parents in Wisconsin and left my Aggie Ring at home, so this invention is probably not for me. From Elizabeth. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2007
Automatic Toilet Tissue Dispenser Ready (Yahoo! News)
A year in the works, the electronic tissue dispenser is being rolled out to the masses by Kimberly-Clark Professional as it seeks to capture more of the $1 billion away-from-home toilet paper market. The company believes most people will be satisfied with five sheets -- and use 20 percent less toilet paper. -Greg Bluestein
[Interesting invention that makes me think of "The Stall" clip from Seinfeld. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2007
Analysis: Why Did Sony Cut the 20GB PS3 Production? (Playfuls)
Dave Karraker, Sr. Director, Corporate Communications at SCEA, explained Sony’s decision in an interview with GameIndustry.biz: “At launch, we offered two separate models of PLAYSTATION 3 to meet the diverse needs and interests of our PlayStation fan base. Initial retail demand in North America was upwards of ninety percent in favor of the 60GB SKU, so we manufactured and shipped-in accordingly. Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60GB model from both retailers and consumers, we have ceased offering the 20GB model here in North America. In addition to the larger internal hard drive, the 60GB PlayStation 3 features added storage media slots and built-in Wi-Fi not found in the 20GB system. Based on retailer and consumer feedback, we have decided to focus our current efforts on the more popular 60GB model.” -Dan Nicolae Alexa
Posted by kuechebj at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)
Record biz sends piracy warnings to universities (Reuters)
"Without question, this new enforcement initiative has invigorated a meaningful conversation on college campuses about music theft, its consequences and the numerous ways to enjoy legal music," said Steven Marks, executive vp and general counsel for the RIAA. "The question we ask of students is this: With high-quality legal music options available for free or deeply discounted, why take the twin risks of exposing your computer to viruses or spyware by downloading from an illegal site or exposing yourself to a costly lawsuit?" -Brooks Boliek
[I honestly do not understand the appeal of downloading music. I still buy CDs and new albums bought on the release date result in a cheaper cost per song than if I downloaded it, but then again, I also like having a backup in case a file becomes corrupted on my iPod. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 07:01 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2007
Apple's iPhone Delays Mac OS X 10.5 (NewsFactor)
While Apple is promising several new features in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac fans won't be able to get their hands on the Leopard OS until later this year as a result of Apple diverting Leopard engineering and testing resources to the launch of the highly anticipated iPhone, which couples iPod-like functionality with smartphone capabilities. -Barry Levine
[Darn! I hoped to buy an iMac over the summer since I thought Leopard would be released by then, but I guess my 256MB RAM desktop gets to live longer now. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:27 PM | Comments (0)
January 09, 2007
Apple to Launch Music Cellphone (The Street)
The new iPhone features 8 gigabytes of storage, a 2-megapixel camera but just one button; for most functions, users rely on its 3.5-inch touchscreen.
The device, which will be carried by AT&T's Cingular Wireless unit, also includes other intriguing features, such as a proximity sensor, which shuts down the screen when a user puts it up to his face. -TSC Staff
Posted by kuechebj at 12:46 PM | Comments (0)
November 15, 2006
Final Fantasy III (Square Enix)
[All right! Here we go again...Final Fantasy III for Nintendo DS released today. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 06:22 PM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2006
Look What I Learned! (Newsweek)
An FAS study released this week, titled “Harnessing the power of video games for learning,” reports that best-selling games are built in surprisingly pedagogical ways. Players improve at their own pace. Beating a level requires experimentation, failure and learning from mistakes. -Nick Summers
[From Nick. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:48 PM | Comments (2)
October 13, 2006
Read Comic Books on Your Nintendo DS (Joystiq)
Joystiq's sister site DS Fanboy recently posted about a homebrew effort called Comic Book DS that lets you transfer comics from your computer and read them book-style with the DS flipped on end. You don't have to conceal issues of Action Comics underneath an old copy of Newsweek that you swiped off your dentist's waiting table on your commute any longer. Now people will think you're doing some serious work on your stylish PDA while you secretly use the touchscreen to pan and zoom on comic panels -- pure genius. Comic book fanboys can rid themselves of their secret shame. -Kevin Kelly
[I may disagree with concealing comic books, but when Kelly mentions "Final Fantasy XXXIV: Tax Time," I find it hilarious. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:08 PM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2006
Google Snaps Up YouTube for $1.65B (AP | MyWay)
Internet search leader Google is snapping up YouTube for $1.65 billion, brushing aside copyright concerns to seize a starring role in the online video revolution. -Associated Press
[From Jerz's Literacy Weblog. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:51 PM | Comments (0)
October 07, 2006
Online video running wild (Market Watch)
If Google reaches a deal with YouTube, the combined company would be a more potent force against MySpace, the social-networking Web site that has become the No. 1 provider of video on the Internet, according to comScore Networks, a market-research firm. -Ben Charny
[I know lots of people use Facebook, MySpace, or both, but MySpace as number one for online video? I always wish MySpace would develop more aesthetically pleasing and usable pages. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:12 PM | Comments (2)
September 22, 2006
MTV acquires Harmonix for USD $175 million (Games Industry)
"The acquisition of Harmonix advances MTV Networks' strategy of connecting with target audiences by creating immersive, multi-platform environments that extend to every device they use," said Judy McGrath, chairman and CEO, MTV Networks.
[Every device except my TV because MTV rarely plays music videos anymore. Harmonix makes the Guitar Hero games for PlayStation. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2006
Facebook - A Badge of Honor (Discourse Chronicle)
[I am in my office holding an extra day of office hours waiting for any students to come and ask for help before we turn in our first papers tomorrow. As I wait for anyone to visit, I am working on my coursework for next week along with blogging and checking things out on Facebook. I decided to try searching for my last name on Facebook and I found one student group called "Kuechenmeister's class. Fall 2006." I am beaming with pride as my students communicate with one another thinking I am not on Facebook. I view that as a badge of honor and I love it! BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:24 PM | Comments (1)
September 15, 2006
Nintendo's Wii taking on Playstation (New York Daily News)
"Wii reinvents games for the devoted player, but more importantly, Wii breaks the wall separating players from nonplayers," said Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime at yesterday's Chelsea Piers unveiling.
The sleek, white Wii unit is decidedly more iPod than Mario Brothers, and features a two-handed remote controller - one a standard Wii Remote, the other an attachable joystick called a "Nunchuk" - that separates controls to both hands. -Julian Kesner
[Apparently interactive movement is what separates players from nonplayers. I remember switching from Nintendo to PlayStation during my third year of undergraduate and I never looked back. However, I continue watching Nintendo from a distance and it seems like the company's lack of recent success is not due to its technological innovations, but instead the lack of a strong game library. Almost all of the video game series I played on Nintendo from elementary school to middle school switched to PlayStation (Final Fantasy, Mega Man, Castlevania) and many of them never looked back either. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:23 PM | Comments (0)
September 08, 2006
Windows Vista pricing favors PC upgrades (Register)
The pressure is therefore on Microsoft to put the hard sell on Vista to convince consumers to buy a new machine. Jupiter Research reckons 52 per cent of American households own at least one PC, leaving plenty of room for a second. Microsoft faces an uphill task, though, as Vista is due in January, when wallets will be lighter in the wake of the Holiday spending frenzy. -Gavin Clarke
[Mac is also introducing a new OSX called Leopard. Rarrr! BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:45 PM | Comments (2)
April 06, 2006
Windows on Macs provokes a stir (BBC)
The trial version of Boot Camp released by Apple only lets owners use one operating system at a time. Switching from one to the other is, currently, a process that takes a while to complete.
Many expect that once the dual start-up software is built in to the next version of OS X, expected in late 2007, the switch between the operating systems will be much smoother.
At that time Intel-based Macs may also support Vista - the next version of Microsoft's operating system. By the end of 2007, all Apple's computers are expected to be Intel-based.
[Currently, I use a Windows XP Hewlett-Packard desktop and an Apple iBook G4, because I believe it is important for people to know how to use both types of computers and programs. However, I DO like my iBook more than my PC and I am strongly considering a Mac Mini as my PC replacement (if it dies) because of its KVM switch, which acts like Boot Camp. If next year's Macs are able to run Windows Vista, then I am definitely buying a Mac next time around. My journey to the "Dark Side" would then be complete. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 08:28 AM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2006
Lawyer For Jobs' Apple Says iTunes Not In Violation (Forbes)
"Data transmission is within our field of use. That's what [the 1991 trademark agreement] says and it is inescapable," said Anthony Grabiner, according to The Associated Press. No "reasonable person," he said, would assume that Apple Computer had created or owned the 3.5 million songs on its hugely successful iTunes music store.
Apple Corps' lawyer Geoffrey Vos pointed back to the original agreement, saying that Apple Computer's music distribution business "was flatly contradictory" to its terms. The areas that each company could operate in, with their respective apple trademarks, had been clarified, and Cupertino, CA-based company was now in violation.
Posted by kuechebj at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2006
Beatles And Jobs' Apple Come Together In Court (Forbes)
Apple Corps' four owners, Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison (wives of the late John Lennon and George Harrison) want Jobs to break the link between the Apple brand and music products of Apple Computer (nyse: AAPL - news - people ) and fork out millions of dollars in damages.
The two companies have thus had an ambivalent relationship ever since 1980 when George Harrison spotted an ad for Apple Computer in a magazine. Concerned that fans would think Jobs' upstart was connected to them, the two firms eventually cut a deal and agreed to stay out of each other businesses.
But as Apple began proffering iPod music players and music through its iTunes online store, Jobs looked to be straying perilously close to the no-go area. As a 1989 settlement had defined it, the distribution of music on "physical media… such as compact discs" was verboten.
But did this count yet-to-be invented digital formats like MP3s? That will be decided when a case filed by Apple Corps in 2003 finally goes to trial at the U.K. High Court this Wednesday. Hearing the arguments will be Justice Mann, a judge who had to apparently inquire of both sides if he should disqualify himself on the grounds that he owns an iPod.
Posted by kuechebj at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2006
Oh no, they killed Chef (Scotsman)
The soul singer has voiced the Chef character in South Park since 1997, but left recently because of what he allegedly called the animated show's religious "intolerance and bigotry". Founders Matt Stone and Trey Parker said that Hayes, a Scientologist, was angry that South Park mocked the religion in an episode last November.
Hayes did not participate in making Wednesday's episode; the character's lines appeared to be patched together through tapes of past dialogue.
[Chef's return might have resulted in a Darth Vader-like character, but Chef also becomes a Frankenstein-like monster. Instead of sewn together body parts taken from different bodies, Chef's lines are edited and recycled from different episodes, which I think is interesting. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2006
A-B-C rejects KFC ad because of policy against subliminal advertising (MSN Money)
It turns out a hidden message in a K-F-C ad is too close to subliminal advertising for A-B-C. The network says it's following a longstanding policy and won't air the commercial with the message. A-B-C is airing a different version, with the message frame cut out.
No other network has refused the ad.
Viewers can slowly replay it to find a message to enter on the fast food restaurant's Web site to get a coupon for a free sandwich.
A University of Missouri advertising professor says he doesn't think it's a subliminal ad. In fact, he thinks it's just the opposite -- because people have been told to look out for the message.
The Kentucky-based company is pleased with the results. It says more than 70-thousand people have entered to receive coupons.
The strategy is meant to counter the growth of new technology that lets viewers skip through commercials.
[CNN reported about KFC's ad a few days ago, but the ad had not been pulled by ABC yet. I remember seeing that commercial a few times and I never felt compelled to log on and get my coupon for a free sandwich. However, I also don't sit and watch something frame-by-frame, either. I agree with the advertising professor's assessment about KFC's tactic of telling audiences that something is hidden in its ad. I might add that some controversy is being generated from recent media coverage and that strategy worked well for Mel Gibson leading up to Passion of the Christ was released in theaters. My Dad pointed out to me that controversy = free publicity and here we see it in action again. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:51 PM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2006
Mobile Comic Books For Your Phone (PR Web)
Launching early April, GoComics Books will include three new titles joining the already impressive GoComics line. Slated for release in the early Spring of 2006 is an eclectic blend of features that appeal to dedicated comic book readers and new fans alike. Titles include the new “cosmic” superhero comic GØDLAND, the geek and gamer strip PvP, and the too hip, too weird, Too Much Coffee Man. Bundled into one monthly subscription package, all stories are published in an anthology format with new pages for each title added every day.
GoComics Books presents comics in a panel-by-panel format for quick viewing and a simple interface that offers a great user experience. GoComics has optimized the original comics for the mobile screen, subtly adjusting and refining layouts and improving legibility and readability. This process has paid off, giving an essential vibrancy to this new comics format.
[I notice that our culture is favoring increasingly smaller technology, such as the iPod Nano or Motorola's new Slvr phone, but why? Is it a reflection of our obsession to overcome an obesity epidemic or do we like straining our vision seeing details in our shows that a normal television easily reveals? I said it before and I will say it again: If I don't want to watch Smallville on a 3" screen, then what makes you think I will read it on a 1" screen? BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2006
Discourse Chronicle Word Cloud (Snap Shirts)
[From Girl Meets World. Another ridiculously fun web toy. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 12:28 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2006
Apple Hackers Encounter a Poetic Warning (Yahoo!)
Apple confirmed Thursday it has included such a warning in its Intel-based computers since it started selling them in January.
The embedded poem reads: "Your karma check for today: There once was a user that whined / his existing OS was so blind / he'd do better to pirate / an OS that ran great / but found his hardware declined. / Please don't steal Mac OS! / Really, that's way uncool. / (C) Apple Computer, Inc."
Apple also put in a separate hidden message, "Don't Steal Mac OS X.kext," in another spot for would-be hackers.
[Hilarious! BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)
Amazon set for battle with iTunes (Times Online)
AMAZON is set to challenge Apple’s iTunes music store with the launch of its own digital music download service. The online retailer is in advanced talks with record companies about the initiative.
Plans under discussion include Amazon-branded portable music players, specially designed for the retailer. Customers would sign up to a monthly subscription service offering discounted songs to be downloaded on to the players.
[...]
With 55 million customer accounts and strong sales of music CDs, Amazon is an attractive outlet for music companies wanting to sell tracks at a variety of prices rather than the fixed 79p iTunes fee. The company is the world’s leading online retailer but relied on physical CDs, DVDs and books for 70 per cent of its 2005 sales and must meet customers’ increasing digital requirements.
Posted by kuechebj at 03:00 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2006
Ripping music for iPods is not fair use (PC Pro)
In court RIAA [Recording Industry Association of America] lawyer Don Verrilli said: 'The record companies have said, for some time now, and it's been on their website for some time now, that it's perfectly lawful to take a CD that you've purchased, upload it onto your computer, put it onto your iPod.'
However in the Copyright Office filing the RIAA takes a contrary view.
'Nor does the fact that permission to make a copy in particular circumstances is often or even routinely granted, necessarily establish that the copying is a fair use when the copyright owner withholds that authorization,' it argues. 'In this regard, the statement attributed to counsel for copyright owners in the MGM v. Grokster case is simply a statement about authorisation, not about fair use.'
In other words, explained Fred von Lohmann, senior staff attorney for the EFF, a leading digital rights campaign organisation, if you want to copy a CD to your iPod, get permission first.
[I fear a day when making a mix tape or burning a mix CD is outlawed. Why can't music just be for music's sake? BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
Sophos claims to have detected first OS X worm (PC Pro)
The OSX/Leap-A worm spreads via the iChat instant messaging application, forwarding itself as a file called 'latestpics.tgz' (masquerading as screenshots of OS X 10.5) to contacts on the infected users' buddy list. When the archive file is opened on a computer it disguises its contents with a JPEG graphic icon in an attempt to convince people that it is harmless.
The worm uses the text 'oompa' as an infection marker in the resource forks of infected programs to prevent it from reinfecting the same files but doesn't appear to do any damage.
Posted by kuechebj at 04:05 PM | Comments (0)
Behold Office 2007 (Ars Technica)
The big news here is the "student" version, which was previously known as the "Student and Teacher" edition. Microsoft introduced that version with Office v.X for the Mac and Office 2003, and the company allowed it to be sold in just about every possible retail location. The end result was that people who were neither students nor teachers were buying the edition because of its low price, and Microsoft didn't care. With 2007, the company is formally acknowledging that many people just want a few apps for the lowest cost possible, now pitching the $149 price point for both academic and home settings.
If the basics don't do it for you, the next entry point is considerably steeper. Office Standard 2007, which includes Outlook as well as the standard trinity of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, will retail for $399. Upgrades to this version will be $239, and this is the lowest price that any 2003 users can pay to upgrade to 2007, since upgrades are not available for Basic or academic versions. Small Business 2007 adds Publisher 2007 and the business contacts manager for Outlook, for $449 ($279 upgrade).
[Geektastic! Another affordable version of Office for students and academics. However, I am not sure how much more Office my Hewlett-Packard 256MB RAM Windows XP desktop can chug. It processes sluggishly with Office 2005 on it now. Besides, there is a new edition of Adobe Macromedia's Studio 8 available that I run on my iBook, but I think I will wait for the next Office for Mac and buy a double whammy then. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:44 PM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2006
Bugs Could Be Key to Kicking Oil Addiction (Yahoo!)
The idea mentioned by Bush during his State of the Union speech — called "cellulosic ethanol" — skirts that problem because it makes fuel from farm waste such as straw, corn stalks and other inedible agricultural leftovers. Cellulose is the woody stuff found in branches and stems that makes plants hard.
Breaking cellulose into sugar to spin straw into ethanol has been studied for at least 50 years. But the technological hurdles and costs have been so daunting that most ethanol producers have relied on heavy government subsidies to squeeze fuel from corn.
Researchers are now exploring various ways to exploit microbes, the one-cell creatures that serve as the first link of life's food chain. One company uses the microbe itself to make ethanol. Others are taking the genes that make the waste-to-fuel enzymes and splicing them into common bacteria. What's more, a new breed of "synthetic biologists" are trying to produce the necessary enzymes by creating entirely new life forms through DNA.
[The first thing that comes to my mind is that we are getting closer to making Mr. Fusion a reality. However, then I remember what Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) said about that device, how it only fueled the time and flight circuits in the third Back to the Future movie. One can dream...BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2006
All Eyes on Google (Newsweek)
Let's face it—it's good to be Google. Every minute, worldwide, in 90 languages, the index of this Internet-based search engine created by these Stanford doctoral dropouts is probed more than 138,000 times. In the course of a day, that's over 200 million searches of 6 billion Web pages, images and discussion-group postings. Searches for golf clubs, song lyrics, tomorrow night's blind date, recipes and the unaltered screen shots of Janet Jackson's Super Bowl boo-boo. Amazingly, the majority of those queries evoke satisfactory, even revelatory, results. Google has changed the way the world finds things out, and enticed it to look for things previously considered unfindable.
[...]
Of course, Google's biggest problem may well be (cue soundtrack from "Jaws") Microsoft. Bill Gates is constitutionally unable to countenance the idea that a cheeky Silicon Valley start-up can claim even the mildest role as an Internet gateway. Last autumn Gates told NEWSWEEK that his company's complacency in search was a grave error that would soon be corrected. "We didn't make it as much of a priority as we should have," he said. "We recognized that, and we're on the job." At the World Economic Forum earlier this year, he was even more frank: "[Google] kicked our butts," he said. The last time Microsoft felt similarly embarrassed—when it failed to notice that the Internet was kind of going to be a big thing—Gates started a companywide jihad that didn't stop until his competitor, Netscape, was eviscerated.
[Last night, a colleague brought up Google during a reading group discussion about current composition pedagogy, or what is being taught and not taught, along with for whom. Many people believe that Google returns results based upon how many times a certain search is initiated, but that is not how results are determined, which I learned after reading Dr. Dennis G. Jerz's online seminar presentation about Assessing Google as a Teaching & Research Tool. Instead, Google's rankings are based upon how many other sites are linking to the web page containing your search terms. Therefore, a user cannot "stuff the ballot box" by repeating a search term umpteen times. It was a great discussion! BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:20 PM | Comments (0)
February 02, 2006
New Exam Aims to Measure Tech 'Literacy' (Yahoo! News)
The ICT Literacy Assessment touches on traditional skills, such as analytical reading and math, but with a technological twist. Test-takers, for instance, may be asked to query a database, compose an e-mail based on their research, or seek information on the Internet and decide how reliable it is.
[...]
The new "core" version that will be sold to high schools can be taken in a school computer lab over about 75 minutes and consists of 14 short tasks, lasting three to five minutes each, and one longer task of about 15 minutes. Students may be asked, for example, to determine what variables should go where in assembling a graph, and then use a simple program to create it. They could also be asked to research a topic on the Web and evaluate the authoritativeness of what they find.
[One of my colleagues in the English department is interested in how students use technology in and out of a classroom. I am impressed that one task on this assessment might be "to determine what variables should go where in assembling a graph," but I wonder how secondary education might pull that off, since rhetoric (even visual rhetoric) is not taught in schools. I know I had to wait until my third year of college work to even begin learning about rhetoric. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)
On iPods and hearing loss: Just turn it down (Cnet News)
The suit, filed on behalf of John Kiel Patterson and all other iPod buyers, seeks monetary damages to compensate for the hearing loss suffered by iPod users as well as a share of Apple's iPod profits. The suit also seeks to force Apple to offer a software upgrade to limit the iPod's output to 100 decibels as well as provide headphones designed to block out external noise.
[I remember one professor saying to me last semester about how he was investing in the hearing aid market because all of the current young people listening to iPods will need hearing aids in old age. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:54 PM | Comments (1)
January 31, 2006
Parappa M-I-Xes flour into a bowl, LIVE! (Joystiq)
Andreas Wieslander's bachelor thesis, entitled "IN REAL GAME," is "a project about marketing games through live performances, in order to focus on the games feel, rather than its graphics and sfx."
He has chosen the infectious beats and charms of the PlayStation classic Parappa the Rapper to illustrate this concept. They act out the roles of Cheep Cheep and Parappa in a rendition of "Cheep Cheep Cooking Chicken's Rap," complete with seafood cake, live backing band, and Parappa's jerky delivery. "Crack. Crack. Crack. The egg. Into. The bowl."
[From Nick Stepaniak. The link shows a three and a half minute video of this project. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 08:23 PM | Comments (1)
January 30, 2006
Yearning for color on laptops (Cnet)
Take Skyn, which makes colorful laptop covers that can be reused on multiple laptops. Skyn's co-founder, Letitia Lucero, was looking for a colorful laptop a few years ago, but couldn't find anything she liked. After experimenting with materials in partnership with her husband, Miguel, they discovered a type of plastic that stood up to the wear and tear on a notebook, and applied an adhesive to the back that allows the cover to be removed and used on other laptops, a Skyn spokeswoman said.
[Apple's iBook has always challenged those gray and black case majority with its white casing. Dr. Joel Pace thought it would be cool for me to get a Superman S-shield and put it on my iBook. As if my necktie, leather jacket, t-shirt, and comic books are somehow not enough. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:38 PM | Comments (0)
Study: Cell phones help in hospitals (Cnet)
The report, in February's Anesthesia & Analgesia, doesn't discount concerns that wireless communications can interfere, electromagneticly, with medical devices like life-support ventilators, monitoring equipment and intravenous infusion pumps. The risk of crossed wires occured 2.4 percent of the time during research. But that rate was much lower than the 14.9 percent risk of medical error from delayed communications.
[The article asks readers to consider this choice: electromagnetic interference or improved communication among doctors? Hmmm...BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)
AOL Attempts High-Speed Reinvention (Media Post)
Broadband subscribers are far more valuable to AOL than dial-up subscribers for a host of reasons, Redling said. "Customers stay with us longer when they move to high speed," he explained. "And with advertisers, we're seeing such a move into rich media on our sites, so high speed opens the way for many more opportunities."
This reasoning, however, raises the question of why AOL waited until now to push broadband. "I was waiting for this sort of deal to happen over three years ago," remarked Joseph Laszlo, broadband research director at Jupiter Research. "AOL has tried a whole bunch of strategies--trying to buy access wholesale and reselling to subscribers, then they moved in the direction of bring your own service, where they told consumers to bring their own service."
Posted by kuechebj at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)
eBay runs into trouble over fake jewellery (Pocket-lint.co.uk)
Tiffany is suing eBay for allowing sellers to list and sell counterfeit Tiffany items on the site in America according to an article in the New York Times.
The newspaper suggests that if Tiffany wins its case, not only would other lawsuits follow, but eBay's very business model would be threatened because it would be nearly impossible for the company to police a site that now has 180 million members and 60 million items for sale at any one time.
[...]
In 2004, Tiffany secretly purchased about 200 items from eBay in its investigation of how the company was dealing with the thousands of pieces of counterfeit Tiffany jewellery. A jeweller found that three out of four pieces were fakes.
Posted by kuechebj at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2006
NASA workers pause for solemn tribute (Houston Chronicle)
Flags at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and nine other NASA installations across the country were lowered to half-staff to honor the 17 astronauts who perished in the 2003 Columbia breakup, the 1986 shuttle Challenger explosion and the 1967 Apollo 1 launchpad fire.
[...]
Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe and Gregory Jarvis of Hughes Aircraft Co. All were lost when Challenger exploded after lift-off Jan. 28, 1986.
[Each morning, I watch CNN for headlines as I eat breakfast and drink tea. As I watched it this morning, coverage of this memorial and remembrance of the Challenger crew focused primarily on Christa McAuliffe, but no attention was given to Ronald McNair and I believe that is offensive. McNair was a black professor of physics and his death inspired the Trio organization to begin a national program named in his honor called the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.
Its purpose is to provide opportunities for talented first-generation students who are from a low-income background or an underrepresented minority in PhD studies to pursue graduate school and earn a PhD in their chosen field. I participated as a McNair Scholar in Cohort 5 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Today I am proudly wearing my McNair T-shirt that says "Igniting Talent" because I believe in what that program represents and attention needs to be called to Dr. McNair's legacy of higher education. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 10:58 AM | Comments (0)
January 20, 2006
Randomized Garfield (Jerz's Literacy Weblog | Memepool)
[From Dennis G. Jerz's blog. Here is a random generator supplying three different Garfield panels taken from various strips. Users may lock any panel and continue randomizing the others or lock all three. I question on Dennis's comments to this post whether or not this may be a step toward hypercomics. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:28 PM | Comments (8)
December 07, 2005
Man Sues Microsoft Over Flawed Xbox 360 (Information Week)
Complaints began circulating on gaming message boards soon after the Nov. 22 launch of the new game system, with buyers trading stories of intermittent crashes. Some diagnosed the problems as caused by overheating, and advised owners to, among other things, dangle the power supply with string so that air could circulate around it.
[I remember reading about Microsoft's reasoning for releasing Xbox 360 much earlier than Sony's PlayStation 3 a while back. The basic idea was for Microsoft to sell early and lose money now, hoping for a turnaround when Nintendo released its Revolution and Sony with its PS3, but I doubt this kind of loss is what Microsoft intended. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2005
U.S. to Release New $10 Bills on March 2 (Yahoo! News)
The new $10 will still feature Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first Treasury secretary, on one side, and the Treasury building on the other side.
But those two images will be joined by the Statue of Liberty's torch and the phrase "We the People" in red along with small yellow 10s and a subtle orange background. All the changes are designed to thwart counterfeiters.
Posted by kuechebj at 01:56 PM | Comments (0)
November 30, 2005
Woman 'has first face transplant' (CNN)
Doctors in France say they have performed the first partial face transplant on a woman who had suffered extensive injuries in a dog attack. A joint statement from hospitals in Lyon and Amiens in northern France said on Wednesday the surgery took place Sunday in Amiens on a 38-year-old woman, replacing her nose, lips and chin.
Posted by kuechebj at 12:39 PM | Comments (0)
Harry Potter and the Wiki Witch (JeFF Stumpo and Carl Thorpe)
[Stumpo:] We have put up a website which invites visitors to try to write the 7th book in the Harry Potter series before J.K. Rowling can. Each visitor can be reader, writer, and editor, contributing to and changing this ever-evolving project. With any luck, there will be multiple versions of the "book" by time the experiment ends (and those interested on a scholarly level will be able to view the changes that take place over time, as these will be automatically saved and archived on the site).
[We all know how much disdain I possess toward Harry Potter, however, this project sounds cool because of its creative writing properties along with textual editing concerns it may raise. JeFF Stumpo is a colleague from the English department who hosts JavaShock, a slam poetry showcase, twice per semester at Revolutions Cafe in Bryan, TX. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 12:14 PM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2005
Cracks are found in shuttle fuel tank foam (Chron)
NASA has discovered puzzling new cracks in the fuel tank foam insulation whose defects are responsible for the latest grounding of the space shuttle fleet, officials said Tuesday.
[Each time I come across a NASA article, I always think back to high school, when I was on the Forensics team. I remember participating in a mock senate event following Robert's Rules of Order and our bill was whether or not to continue giving NASA funding. I advocated against it because of its recent setbacks (Hubble Telescope's lenses were installed backwards then) and overall failure to make significant progress or contribution to our society. Unfortunately, the rest of my Forensics team was on the other side, citing previous successes like microwave ovens. One argument I heard used Star Trek as its example of hope for NASA and although I am a fan of Trek, even that is a faltering argument since Enterprise only made it through Season Four. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:09 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2005
TiVo to Go: Digital Recorder Enables Downloads to iPod, PSP (Tech News World)
TiVoToGo will allow users of home-network-connected TiVo boxes to transfer the shows to their computers and then synch the video to the PSP or iPod automatically. While on the PC, the system uses the Media Player software from Microsoft, making it another potential winner in the deal, analysts said, though on a more modest scale than the main three players.
[Normally, I would be a supporter for new technology like mobile video, but I am not. The reason is because I cannot think of a good reason I would want to watch Smallville (or any show) on a 2.5" iPod screen or even the 4.3" PSP screen. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)
Texas Attorney General Sues Sony (Washington Post)
Sony said last week it would let consumers exchange compact discs encoded with the software for new versions of the same titles without the software. The company promised to recall the affected CDs from retailers' shelves, but the Texas suit claims the attorney general’s investigators were able to purchase numerous titles at Austin retail stores as recently as Sunday evening.
Posted by kuechebj at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)
November 18, 2005
Apple denies EMI iPod compatibility claims (PC Pro)
The DRM will enable users to rip the CD once to a computer in WMA format and transfer it to a player, make three full CD copies, or copy single tracks up to seven times. EMI and Macrovision have been asked to clarify whether the CDs will play or rip on Macs, we are awaiting their response.
[Standardization is a media problem with any technology and digital music is no exception. Apple uses AAC, Sony uses ATRAC3, Dell and others use WMA as the list goes on. Sony's Playstation series solves this problem for its users by allowing for backward compatibility, so my PS2 can play PSOne games, for example. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2005
EMI Wants Flexible Prices for iTunes (Techtree)
Sources reveal that EMI Music along with Warner Music Group and Sony BMG, has been pushing Jobs to shift to a tiered pricing structure, wherein less popular songs will be discounted and in-demand songs will sell for more than a dollar.
[Normally I would not blog on Tuesdays or Thursdays, but this story is one that I remember hearing about before. If prices begin to be assigned based upon popularity, then I would imagine that buying CDs will become more economic again. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:01 PM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2005
Museum exhibit melds science and fiction of Star Wars (Boston)
The exhibit, which stirred controversy when it was revealed that the museum had bumped a more conventional science exhibit, uses the wildly popular movies as a bridge to real science, and fire up interest -- particularly among youngsters -- about the promises of engineering, physics and other fields.
[The article continues saying how schoolchildren showed up to this exhibit excited, so kudos to the museum for choosing Star Wars over traditional science. We have all heard "Children are our future" told to us many times and probably still do, so it should be our responsibility to encourage pursuing fields such as science and humanities, but without strict boundaries between the two areas. Popular culture may be the key to doing that. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)
Google gets to first base (CNET News)
Google finally took the wraps off its mysterious Google Base project, unveiling a giant database that allows users to upload data on just about anything, from car ads to recipes.
[...] the site was kludgy and difficult to use. While some users were excited by the possibilities that Google Base presents, many were left wondering, "Ok, so what exactly is this for?"
[Google Scholar is what I want to see improved before the Empire expands. I am taking a Bibliography and Literary Research methods course this semester and the databases we are learning about are stronger in retrieving relevant records in comparison. Now Scholar is my least likely tool for research, but I am hoping that will improve someday because it has potential. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2005
Book Preview: James Bond Physics (MI6)
James Bond would have died a thousand deaths if not for Q, the genius behind the pen grenades and weaponized sports cars that have helped Britain’s most famous secret agent cheat death in twenty films. Here Barry Parker demonstrates how science and technology have been as important to 007 as good looks, shaken martinis, and beautiful women.
[Parker's book sounds awesome! I recently saw Ian Fleming & James Bond: The Cultural Politics Of 007 in a publisher's advertisement. I must confess that I have not converted my VHS Bond library to DVD and I have yet to buy James Bond: The Legacy. In my defense, I only have so much money to live on. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:49 PM | Comments (0)
November 09, 2005
Official Aeon Flux Site Updates (Superhero Hype)
[The interactive comic follows Monican or Bregnan. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)
Superman Cartoons on Chinese Cell Phones (Superman Homepage)
"One exciting venue which holds great potential for animation in China and around the world is the cell phone," said Sander K. Johnson, president of International Television for Asia (ITA), on Monday at the Fourth China Cartoon Industry Forum held in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province.
[Has anyone noticed how far our portable devices have come? I remember when I was younger how all I needed to carry was a Walkman or Discman. Now, as a graduate student, I carry a cell phone, iPod, and iBook. All of our portables continue evolving, bidding to become a swiss-army something, which seems to have no end in sight. Verizon releases Vcast; Cingular releases its Rokr phone; Apple releases a video iPod; Sony releases PSP. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:19 PM | Comments (0)
November 07, 2005
Yahoo, Google Gird for Mobile Battle (ecommercetimes)
The Wall Street Journal reported that Yahoo is poised to announce a partnership with SBC Communications (NYSE: SBC) in which the two companies will co-market a Yahoo-branded cell phone that offers fast access to the types of services -- e-mail, music, photos, etc. -- that are available on the sprawling Yahoo Web portal.
Meanwhile, Google formally launched a mobile-friendly version of its Local search tool, one that will try to push popular search and mapping functions for finding local businesses from the Web to the mobile phone.
Posted by kuechebj at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)
November 04, 2005
Amazon, Microsoft Bet on Books (Red Herring)
The virtual library grew a little more crowded on Friday. Following Google’s lead in getting more books online, Amazon.com has started selling parts of books, and Microsoft signed a $2.5-million book-scanning deal with the British Library.
Amazon’s service, called Amazon Pages, allows readers to buy access to an individual page, section, or chapter of a book instead of buying the entire printed book.
Amazon also introduced a service known as Amazon Upgrade that lets book buyers purchase online access to the same volume they had shipped to them in paper form. The online version will be available in full via the web, making it searchable through a browser.
[There may be some interesting potential here for online researchers. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 04:27 PM | Comments (0)
Ethical Dilemmas (Gamepro)
"The ESRB presents publishers like me with the worst of two worlds," explains Mastiff CEO Bill Swartz. "On the one hand, they beat me to a pulp with their super-strict ratings. On the other, since opponents don't view their findings as meaningful, I suffer from the prejudice that videogame ratings can't be taken seriously."
[The article revisits the "Hot Coffee" sex scandal aftermath surrounding Rock Star Games's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game. Swartz's comments echo two historical periods of censorship with Joseph R. McCarthy and Fredric Wertham. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 03:20 PM | Comments (3)
November 03, 2005
World Wide Library? (PC World)
At the heart of the suits is a simple premise: The act of scanning a book without permission in and of itself violates copyright. Fair use, Google's basic defense, covers quoting short excerpts from a work, but nowhere does the doctrine permit making a digital copy of the entire work, which is what scanning does. Even if you don't intend to profit from the copy, you have made a reproduction. The law doesn't allow that unless you have prior consent from the copyright owner--or so the publishers' and authors' argument against Google goes.
Posted by kuechebj at 08:47 PM | Comments (0)
Warner Bros. Pictures' Superman Returns to be Simultaneously Released as IMAX® Film in June 2006 (Superman Homepage)
IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Superman Returns will be simultaneously released to both IMAX® and conventional theatres on June 30, 2006. The epic action-adventure is directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects) and marks a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world's most beloved superheroes. The 35mm version of Superman Returns will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® and Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to the growing worldwide IMAX theatre network.
[For some reason, whenever I attempt viewing anything in an IMAX theater, I always fall asleep watching whatever is playing. The onslaught of deep sleep that overwhelms me is not due to boredom or disinterest in these films, but perhaps there is something about how an IMAX film is transmitted that gives it a hypnotic quality to it. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 08:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 02, 2005
Sony DRM using rootkit technology (ZDNet)
Mark Russinovich of Sysinternals blogged about finding a rootkit on his computer. Sysinternals is the developer of Rootkit Revealer, an anti-rootkit app and Russinovich was quite shocked to find the presence of a rootkit on his own computer. His fascinating blog post has detailed information including screenshots describing how he connected the rootkit to a CD he recently purchased and played on his computer, a CD from Sony BMG.
[For a good description about rootkits, read this article, from vnunet.com BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
November 01, 2005
Everything you wanted to know about Connery's digital Bond (IGN)
October 26, 2005 - Next week the first videogame starring Sean Connery will hit retail stores courtesy of Electronic Arts. From Russia With Love, a third-person perspective mix of shooting, action, and racing, harkens back to the second Bond movie with great care for the original intellectual property, wrapping on new levels and a modern, up-to-date look and feel for gamers who're enjoying the 21st century.
[Released today: One of the best Bond movies + Sean Connery + PS2 = Great game! BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (IGN)
As Hector, you seek revenge against your former ally, Isaac, for having killed your wife. At one point in time, you were both servants of Dracula, but his death three years prior to Curse of Darkness has left the thrown of evil in a state of chaos. Hector gave up the dark ways sometime around this point, and left behind his devil forging abilities.
[Console video games are what I grew up on, functioning as great entertainment, but also as an excellent anger management tool. Anyone who played games from the Mega Man, Super Mario Bros., or this series, knows how frustrating it is to miss a jump and fall into an abyss. Although my favorite series of all-time is Final Fantasy, Castlevania comes in a close second for me. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 10:33 AM | Comments (5)
October 31, 2005
Sprint Waltzes into Music Lead (Red Herring)
Subscribers will be charged $2.50 per song, but they will get two copies of the song: one version formatted to play on the phone, while the other will be formatted to play on a PC. The PC version can be burned onto a CD using Windows Media Player.
[Although I own an iPod, I still do not download music, mostly because of two reasons. One: I dislike partial album downloads and Two: I like to use CDs as backups for my iPod. I certainly would not do it for $2.50 a song, either. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 06:53 PM | Comments (0)
Jobs' Apple Celebrates 1M Video Downloads (Forbes)
And we don't need Marxists to tell us nobody needs a video iPod--but there sure as heck is a market for them: Apple said Monday that iTunes users have downloaded more than a million videos since they were made available on Oct. 12.
[True, nobody probably needs a video iPod, especially me since I recently purchased a fourth generation iPod. As soon as I did that, Apple released the iPod Nano and I was initially upset until I realized my music collection is still larger than the capacity. I also read this article on iPod Nano and felt much better. BK]
Posted by kuechebj at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2005
Goodbye Bravenet (Discourse Chronicle)
All of my pages from Bravenet, including tutorials (Basic Chess and Comma Usage), are now available at my static website. I will be experimenting with modifying how this blog appears in Movable Type (MT) as I find time. I will also work on posting a representative sample of content I plan on blogging about regularly as well. BK
Posted by kuechebj at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)