Meebo Adds Games

Picked this up on Crave, via Daddy Land:

Meebo, a multi-client, browser-based instant messaging program has added games to instant messaging. Although I had some problems loading the games this morning, the concept is excellent. Once they get the load issues ironed out, this could be a new favorite website of mine. Not only does Meebo allow you to access all of your IM accounts without downlaoding or installing anything, all in your browser. Along with that, now you can play games in the same window. Cubicle dwellers and college students everywhere are rejoicing in the streets.

Newsflash! New Windows Office Software Gobbles Memory, Cripples Processor Performance

In a move no-one who has completely ignored the last 20 years of computer development could have forseen, the new version of Microsoft Office is a beast. This article is great, and explains the entire timeline of the evolution of Office from 2000 'til today.

Bring on the tech nerd jokes, but for real: I am 2 sets of finals away from never having to use ExamSoft again. And when that day comes, believe you me, Vista will be blown off this machine so fast that Bill Gates won't even have time to sneeze out a $100 bill.

A bunch of things about which I am not learned enough to comment

- The Car of the Future. Awesome.

- ExxonMobil still hasn't paid the $2.5 billion in punitive damages for the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which happened 18 years ago.

- Barack Obama is Dick Cheney’s cousin? What? Well, Obama has some choice words for this family member.

- An open letter to Santa to lose some freakin’ weight. A choice excerpt: “Despite Santa burning 600 calories an hour from delivering presents, the problem lies in the tasty mince pies left as a treat.”

- Have a great Monday afternoon!

Phoenix to By-Pass Windows; Allow Use of Core Applications on System BIOS

From the article:

"Phoenix Technologies is the company responsible for many computers' basic input/output system, or BIOS, the firmware code that runs when your PC starts up. Usually, the BIOS identifies the hardware on your PC and initializes components, then lets the operating system handle everything else, from storing files to connecting with networks to running applications. In essence, HyperSpace is a simple operating environment, a layer on top of the BIOS, that runs side-by-side with Windows and can efficiently implement some of the most commonly used apps on a PC."

Basically, this means that instead of waiting 4+ minutes for Windows to load just to check your e-mail, you can just hit F4, boot up Outlook or Firefox, and get the job done. I'm always open to new alternatives to running Windows, and this sounds like a promising way to get functionality out of your compuer without having to deal with slow load times. And in a world where PC's are losing market-share to mobile devices and video game consoles, fast boot times and easy acces to the internet may help PC manufacturers retake some of that ground.

Suicide Bombings and Video Games

From the article: "I do not mean, of course, to trivialize the ghastly, horrific impact of real-life suicide bombing."

From the authors head: "And in order to avoid this, I will compare it to how I play HALO 3."

Cellphone Jammers are Illegal, Sweet

Think of all the law students across the country that could be saved embarassment at the hands of over-sensitive academics if they put one of these in every classroom...

Vista Still Sucks

While this guy was apparently expecting major upgrades to Vista, I have seen this movie before; Microsoft is willing to just throw this crappy release out there and let it flop around until they can get the next version out. [SEE Windows ME]

In the meantime, for the rest of you who were, like me, dumb enough to buy a computer with Vista on it, here's a handy resource of open source software for Vista. And you could always switch to Linux.

Smart Car USA! I'm all over it.

When I returned from Europe, I mentioned my deep infatuation with the Smart Car, which, at the time was not available in the U.S.


Well, apparently now it is. Here's a classic video demonstrating its deceiving spaciousness by fitting NBA player Udonis Haslem into it.



Haslem, just for reference, currently plays for the Miami Heat and is a former Florida basketball star famous for once throwing a basketball at a UGA fan’s head during warm-ups. I saw it happen, and it hit the kid dead-on from about 40 feet. Though I didn’t like him at the time; it’s still pretty awesome.

Anyhow, I know the car’s a glorified scooter, but this is still pretty awesome.

Linux Rules; Windows Drools

In the interest of full disclosure, let me say this first: I unabashedly love Linux. It is the best operating system in the whole wide world. And the penguin is much, much cooler than a stupid window.

Now that I've got out of the way, this may be the coolest piece of Tech News this week. Bill Gates has dreams, and in his dreams, the characters hypothesize about fitting an operating system onto a 1GB hard drive. Open Source software works because computer users all want the same things: speed, ease of connection to the internet, and pretty colors. Vista hideously fails in two of these categories (speed and internet connection); it is awfully pretty though. In contrast, these are (lo and behold) the very features that Linux emphasizes. Luckily I have been looking for a use for the flash drive that came free with the last computer I bought.

As an aside, this video from 1999 is a bit eerie; replace "Windows 98" with "Vista" and "Saddam Hussein" with "Osama bin Laden" and it feels just like 2007. Weird.

We Got News!

In my first "We Got News" ever, I've discovered a few gems that don't require much explanation; but, surely they involve riveting information you MUST have (like the rest of the Quail's news):

- Today must be “discuss controversial books” day! Croatian reviewers suggest their opinions on the most destructive books of all time.

- Scientology helps Jerry Seinfeld with his comedy?

- Part II in crazy recent Japanese inventions. (see here for part 1 in that series)

- Jesus dolls sold out at Wal-Mart!! Others lag behind.

Is a Major Internet Security Breach in the Works?

Yesterday, the Guardian had an article describing a growing concern amongst internet security people that a widely distributed, but so far harmless, email worm will one day create havoc on the web. Known as 'the Storm', it has been estimated that the program has infected between one million and fifty million PCs around the world.

Since the virus has caused no damage so far and operates completely unnoticed on infected computers, it has been difficult for experts to stem the spread. The fear is that the virus is building a network of infected computers that can one day be used by the creator to launch attacks that will shutdown the web as we know it.

Truly, Sublimely Awful Accessory

Worst. Product. Ever.

This Week in Robots!!

Back in the early days of the Quail (uh, last month), robots were pretty much a daily feature around these parts. We even contemplated turning the site into an all-robots all-the-time blog, but the marketing department didn't approve of the move.

All things considered, it probably worked out for the best because there just hasn't been much noise on the robot front lately. Lucky for me, and you the faithful reader, I have two (yes two) robot-related links to post today!

First up, the Washington Post has an article about robobugs being used as spying devices at political rallies. While no federal agency is willing to admit usage of the bug, the article lists eye-witness accounts of the tiny devices arriving at anti-war rallies over the past year. From the article:

"'I'd never seen anything like it in my life,' [a] Washington lawyer said. 'They were large for dragonflies. I thought, 'Is that mechanical, or is that alive?''"

Second, we have a CNN article on robots helping elderly Japanese people carry out everyday tasks. 22 percent of Japan's population is over the age of 65, and this number will inflate rapidly over the next few years; with this in mind, companies are building machines that cater to the problems faced by elderly people. The article mentions robots that help people eat, operate wheelchairs, and even move around; a special 'muscle suit' that enhances a person's physical strength can be used by elderly patients or the nurses who must be able to lift and carry them.

Update: CNN has an article on a Japanese robot that gives facial massages.

News From the World of Video Games

It is being reported that Halo 3 sales hit the $300 million mark in the first week. I wonder if that Halo 3-flavored Mountain Dew is having similar success.

Get the press release on Halo's success from Microsoft here.

In other video game news, Nintendo has announced that it will be unable meet demand for the Wii this Christmas. The President of Nintendo of America says:

"We planned optimistically for the launch, but no one could have foreseen how much more popular Wii would be than any other system in memory."

Whether Nintendo is artificially holding down supply or not, the situation is certainly working in their favor. With less than jaw-dropping graphics and a short list of quality games, the system should not be competing with the XBOX. However, it is the top selling console on the market, and still has the power to create hysteria at Targets and Walmarts around the country.

Read CNN Money's take on the Wii's supply problems here.

Giant Monopoly Acts Shady

According to this article, Microsoft has been updating your computer with your consent or knowledge. Even if you have automatic updates turned off, Microsoft can still get in there and mess with the system.

No-one has claimed any damage to their system as a result of these updates (which affected 9 files associated with Windows Update), but the fact that Microsoft can just barge in and update your system whether you like it or not is a bit disconcerting.

Sony Releases Thinnest Flat Screen Ever

Coming in at a whopping 3mm (.12 in, for those of you that like that stuff), this TV is roughly the thickness of 30 sheets of paper. It can be so thin because it uses no backlight; it is called the OLED (organic light emitting diode) Screen, and is basically a wafer thin layer of organic material wedged between two plates of glass.

Personally, I'm gonna wait until they get TV's down to 2.5mm before I buy one.

Russia Warns Against Deploying Weapons In Space

RIA Novosti, the Russian News agency, related some comments from the higher-ups in the Great Frozen East yesterday. Apparently, they don't want you putting weapons in space.

This is an interesting move; the chief of Russia's space forces has promised "retaliatory weapons" and said "A sizeable war could break out." But he is not presuming to claim space, rather he is warning against escalating an arms race in space. Col. Gen. Vladimir Popovkin is concerned that countries warring in space could misinterpret technical satellite failures as acts of war and retaliate.

The US has asserted their right to palce weapons and weapons platforms as recently as last year. President Bush's statement in 2006 went so far as to oppose the development of treaties restricting weapons in space.

Given such a rare opportunity, I have to express my unqualified support for ole GW on this one. Like the rifle, the tank, and the airplane before it, the space-based weapons platform is the wave of the future. Plus, the sooner we get moving on this, the closer I am to getting one of these:

The 8th Lesson:

How to go to college and never get laid.

Mars, Bitches

NASA has announced plans to put a man on Mars by 2037. The agency plans to use the International Space Station, which is to be completed in 2010 (that things not finshed, yet?!), as a toehold to launch manned-missions to the Moon and then Mars.

I wonder if the burgeoning private spaceflight sector will get there before NASA.

Google Takes Down Microsoft, Again

In its continuing assault on Microsoft products, Google has released its new online powerpoint application to the world. Its free, and its easy to use. Its called Google Presentation, and it is part of the Google Docs Online package. Check it out here (you'll need firefox or camino to get into the program). Also, get a review of the product here.