Archive for August 2nd, 2008

Keepin’ it real fake, part CXXVII: OQO G900 mimics Palm Centro

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

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Well it seems OQO is lowering raising the bar from the handset it appears to be aping by packing more goodies into its decidedly Centro-inspired set. The G900 features a 624MHz CPU, 128MB memory, quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE, a 2 megapixel camera, Windows Mobile 6.1, Bluetooth, and raises the bar with a dash of WiFi. Of course, this set may not find its way to a provider’s shelves near you, but it’s refreshing to see KIRF done right, and perhaps even done better for a change. Come on, sing it with us, Go OQO Go!

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Cabinet reshuffle fails to boost Japan PM image

Aug 2, 2008 World News

TOKYO (Reuters) - Struggling Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda’s revamp of his cabinet has done little to improve the unpopular leader’s image among voters, media surveys released on Sunday showed, fanning doubts over whether he can keep his job.

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Iran, on deadline day, vows no nuclear retreat

Aug 2, 2008 World News

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it would not back down “one iota” in its nuclear row with major powers, voicing defiance on the day of an informal deadline set by the West over Tehran’s disputed atomic ambitions.

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Argentine president defends aides, vows to stay course

Aug 2, 2008 World News

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, who has spent most of her first eight-months in office in a deep political crisis, defended her administration on Saturday and ruled out further cabinet changes.

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Apple extends AT&T exclusivity to 2010

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

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USA Today has an interview with AT&T head Randall Stephenson in which he discusses the success of the iPhone for the wireless carrier. He notes that in the original deal back on 2005 they were “betting on Jobs” — and it’s now clear that that bet paid off: “It’s everything we hoped it would be,” according to Stephenson.

In fact the Apple/AT&T partnership is going so well that AT&T managed to wrangle another year of exclusivity out of Apple, extending its US monopoly on the iPhone at least until 2010. This extension is part of the iPhone 3G deal that eliminated revenue sharing with Apple, but has AT&T paying about $300 per phone up front. The numbers continue to look good for both parties, with the iPhone generating almost twice the revenue as the average AT&T wireless customer. Then again, it’s hardly a surprise. It’s not like betting on Steve Jobs’ tech business savvy is that much a risk these last few years.

[via Engadget]

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Killing your phone’s GSM buzz with ferrite beads

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

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Ferrite beads

Tired of all that GSM buzz coming from your cellphone when all you wan to do is listen to music? The guys at MacLife have re-uncovered a simple fix that involves parts that you probably have laying around in your spaghetti drawer. Just grab some ferrite beads — the same ones that often ship with TVs and USB cables — and attach them to your speaker cables near the speakers. This is probably not a shock to those of you who already know a thing or two about magnetic interference, but for the rest of you, get scouting and grab some tape.

[Via Make]

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Klaatu Varata Studios Produces Steampunk Creations With Back Stories [Steampunk]

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

For those of you who enjoy steampunk, story telling and handmade creations, I present to you Klaatu Varata Studios, the workshop of Arkansas artist Dillon Chandler. Check out his Solarian Ray Gun or the Geldar Light Infantry Robot, both of which come with the back story of the Kelevion Universe and the civil war which has torn it apart. If sci-fi musings aren’t your style, take a look at his Steampunk Scorpion, made from motorcycle engine parts. Several of Chandler’s works are available for sale on his Etsy page, and range from $10 for two toy-sized bombs to $2,200 for a nine-foot-tall metal bear. Some of my favorites are below: [Klaatu Varata via Tomopop]




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Two French aid workers freed in Afghanistan

Aug 2, 2008 World News

PARIS (Reuters) - Two French aid workers who were abducted in Afghanistan on July 18 have been released and are in good health, French authorities said on Saturday.

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Bubble Level: surprisingly useful

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

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With my girlfriend in the process of refurbishing her kitchen, I found myself in need of (and without) a carpenter’s level yesterday afternoon. But then I remembered Bubble Level, an application for the iPhone and iPod touch.

A penny short of a dollar later, I had myself a working, surprisingly accurate level right in my iPod touch.

Bubble Level allows you to calibrate it (for example, with an actual bubble level) so its measurements are accurate enough to use for household chores and hobbies. (Professionals may still need the precision that a traditional liquid bubble level provides.)

Bonus: it tracks how level the device is in three dimensions: laying your iPod or iPhone on a table allows the bubble to travel toward the center circle on the interface.

Bubble Level is 99 cents, and available in the App Store now. You can also check out A Level, a similar app that’s expected to support calibration in the next release (it’s from Posimotion, winners of TUAW’s Most Risque iPhone App Name award).

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1940s Video Shows Off Crazy Bike Innovations [Retromodo]

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

I’m not completely sure what’s going on in this clip or where it’s even from but it contains a) weird and crazy bicycles, b) jazzy music, and c) old timeyness—thus, it rules. I’m pretty sure the language is Czech, so if any of you know Czech, please tell me what they’re saying! My favorite strange bikes: the really, really huge one at 3:15 and the sewing machine one at roughly 4:40. [MAKE]


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Russia railway soldiers leave Georgian rebel region

Aug 2, 2008 World News

SUKHUMI, Georgia (Reuters) - The last of 400 Russian soldiers sent by Moscow to repair a railway in Georgia’s rebel region of Abkhazia began to pull out on Wednesday, ending a deployment which angered Tbilisi and its Western allies.

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SpaceX’s Falcon 1, Dreams of Space Conquest Begin in 10, 9, 8… [Rockets]

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology


Like watching rocket launches? Then check out the live webcast of SpaceX’s Falcon 1 launch from the Marshall Islands at 7pm EST [Update - looks like the launch keeps on being delayed, so check in and see if you've missed it yet.]. The Falcon 1 measures 90 feet, weighs roughly 103,000 pounds and uses a two stage, liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene vehicle to blast off. SpaceX, started up by Elon Musk of PayPal fame, is one of several new commercial companies trying to commercialize space travel, wrestling the mostly government-funded industry into the privatized world. Depending on how the launch goes, Falcon 1 will either prove itself to be a reliable way to transport satellites out to low Earth orbit or the project that turned Musk from billionaire to broke (read: millionaire). [SpaceX]


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Planet of the Apes: 40-Year Evolution Blu-ray Set Comes Out Nov. 4 [Planet Of The Apes]

Aug 2, 2008 Blogs, Technology

Nothing says “A swingin’ good time” like a Planet of the Apes marathon, and come Nov. 4 you’ll be able to watch all that monkey madness in Blu-ray when 20th Century Fox releases its Planet of the Apes: 40-Year Evolution disc set. Each Apes film will be presented in widescreen 2.35:1 1080p video and newly remastered 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Like any good disc set, this one comes with a crapload of extras:

• Eight extra minutes of footage in the unrated version of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
• Beyond the Forbidden Zone Adventure Game
• Science of the Apes: scientists, anthropologists and sociologists discuss the first film
• Evolution of the Apes: HD featurette that traces how the Planet of the Apes went from book to screen
• Impact of the Apes: HD featurette about how the story became a pop culture phenomenon
• HD “Making of” features for each sequel
• Commentary by composers, actors and make up artists.
• A Behind the Planet of the Apes documentary
• The original theatrical trailers
• Behind the scenes galleries

… and much much more! The five disk set will retail for roughly $160. [The HD Room]


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Pakistani Taliban deny Zawahri death report

Aug 2, 2008 World News

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani Taliban spokesman denied on Saturday a U.S. media report that al Qaeda number two, Ayman al Zawahri, might have been killed or wounded in a U.S. missile strike in Pakistan’s border region last Monday.

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Olympic head: No deal on Internet censorship

Aug 2, 2008 World News

IOC president applauds organization of Summer Games, says there was no deal with Chinese government to restrict journalists’ Internet access.

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