December 2007
Pancakes in a pressurized can →
Over the holidays, my brother Charles proudly showed me his new favorite convenience foodstuff: Batter Blaster, pancake batter in a pressurized can. It’s not only organic, but Batter Blaster is apparently “fast, easy and fun for the whole family.” My brother says the pancakes and waffles it produces are quite tasty. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to sample them. Link
Official Nintendo Fix for Malfunctioning Wiimotes:... →
Everyone knows that when all else fails, smacking a malfunctioning device might just solve the problem. It works with TVs, it works with computers and it works with just about anything. Well, sometimes. But would you expect that to be an official solution to malfunctioning gadgets? Because it’s exactly what Nintendo support is telling people to do to wonky Wiimotes. According to Wired...
Girl gets revolutionary note in package instead of... →
A man bought an iPod from a Wal-Mart. It was a Christmas gift for his daughter. When she opened it, it didn’t contain an iPod. It contained a note, set in ransom-letter type, that read: “Reclaim your mind from the media’s shackles. Read a book and resurect [sic] yourself. To claim your capitalistic garbage go to your nearest Apple store.”
Jay Ellis, the girls father,...
Gotta Digg this One for Kina Grannis [Gotta Digg] →
We are publishing this story not because Kina Grannis has a wonderful voice. Or because she is good composer. Not even because she is beautiful and sexy and has a choir to match. Heck, we are not even doing it because of the song she has dedicated to Digg users, which is actually a really good one. We are publishing this story because a) we love her attitude, b) we want her to win the Doritos...
Pastor's Challenge Shocks Congregation →
Advice for Teachers →
Dial-A-Human →
Breakup Email Maker →
Purdue tire design can sense damage, warn driver →
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Transportation
Usually you can’t tell that there’s a problem with one of your tires until you’ve already swerved off the road and crashed into something stationary, but thanks to a group of scientists from Purdue University, the next generation of wheel wraps may be able to detect problems before you’re face-to-face with the base of a telephone...
Hard to find 800 Numbers →
Sadly, the iBoob Breast Implant MP3 Player Won't... →
Fake Steve Jobs, aka Forbes Editor Dan Lyons, may regard the tongue-in-cheek idea of a breast implant MP3 player as “shameful sexploitation”—but if it actually existed, it could be the next big thing for Apple. Associating breasts with your brand always means cash money. Plus, it beats the hell out of the iPod Pillow. [FSJ]
Toshiba Builds Personal-Sized Micro Nuclear... →
Here’s an idea that’s not going to go over well with the Department of Homeland Security: Toshiba has reportedly developed a nuclear reactor that will fit in your basement. Measuring 20 feet wide by 6 feet long, it cranks out 200kW and doesn’t even require Homer Simpson to operate, since it’s supposedly totally automatic and can’t overheat. According to Next Energy...
Telecom Immunity bill dying, thanks to you -- KEEP... →
Hurrah! The Telecom Immunity Bill — which will let the phone companies off the hook for helping the NSA to illegally spy on Americans — is dying in Congress, thanks to your calls and letters.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Danny O’Brien sez, “Harry Reid just announced that given the complexity and contentiousness of immunity (which he says he backs Dodd in...
Sonic Visualizer →
Sandboxie →
Foonz - Free Conference Calls and Group Calls →
DailyLit: Read books by email and RSS. →
Bugmenot.com - login with these free web passwords... →
Office 2.0 Database - My Office 2.0 Setup →
HassleMe →
Lifehacker's 2007 Guide to Free Software and... →
Throughout Lifehacker’s archive of over 14,000 posts, we’ve mentioned hundreds of free web and desktop apps that help you get things done—but which are the best? As we wrap up the year 2007, it’s the perfect time to put together an authoritative guide to our favorite pieces of free software and web services for common computing tasks on every platform. After the jump, check out...
The server is down! →
By Mark O’Neill
This is basically what my house looks like when the server goes down. Total anarchy. Although I will have to try out the slingshot with the mouse!
Kiltak adds: And that’s me a few years back when one of our main server’s non-redundant power supply blew up, effectively putting the whole office in a state of unproductive panic.
Funeral for a mainframe →
The fun-lovin’ computer scientists at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg held a funeral for their retired 47-year-old IBM 650 mainframe, Betelgeuse. The festivities included pallbearers who carried the machine out onto the frozen, snowy lawn, a brass band that played a mournful New Orleans style Amazing Grace during the procession (and broke into joyous Down by the Riverside when it was...
HTML Head-tag earrings get you formatted, indexed,... →
Much like the bobby pins made with microchips, if you’re a cute girl in Seattle and I see you wearing these HTML HEAD earrings, I will find a way to marry you on the spot, whether you like it or not. Bonus points if you like Warren Ellis, Clive Cussler, Transformers, cute chihuahuas, and PBR.
HTML HEAD earrings [PopGadget]
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Funeral for a mainframe →
The fun-lovin’ computer scientists at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg held a funeral for their retired 47-year-old IBM 650 mainframe, Betelgeuse. The festivities included pallbearers who carried the machine out onto the frozen, snowy lawn, a brass band that played a mournful New Orleans style Amazing Grace during the procession (and broke into joyous Down by the Riverside when it was...
CrunchDeals: AOL 1.0 Floppy, $5,000 →
It’s at zero bids, but it would make a great stocking stuffer for, well, nobody. It’s just interesting to know that these things still exist, or at least one of them. It’s an AOL 1.0 floppy disk, and it’s on eBay, and it’s going for just under a grand now. Or you could “buy it now” for $5k. You know, if you’re into that kind of thing.
Maybe some others will want this, but me, I’ll take...
Your Best Study Tips? [College] →
For many of you, finals are right around the corner. If you’re starting to prepare, the College Scholarships blog has six considerations to account for when you’re getting your learn on. Avoid caffeine and other stimulant drugs, especially if you’ve exceeded the normal usage amounts as you wouldn’t want to crash during the exam and end up performing poorly. Choose your...
High Schooler Gets Detention for Using Firefox?... →
Now this is a sad story…if it’s true. According to this alleged school report, one student received a detention for using Firefox—as opposed to IE or Safari, we assume. And while there could be plenty of explanations for why the school would want to control student browsers, we loved the teacher’s write-up of the event:
Today in class [name] had a program launched called...
How To Interview And Get The Job Almost Every Time →
Guitar Chords →
Google Quick Reference →
Recording Frequencies →
Project →
CellCoach Trains You To Not Use Cellphones In the... →
Aimed at parents of teenagers who just can’t get their offspring to stop using a cellphone in the car, the CellCoach emits a high-pitched beep whenever it detects cellphone traffic. The result? A really annoying noise that reinforces the fact that they shouldn’t text or call while driving. It installs “permanently” under the car’s dashboard so your kid can’t...
Slim Down and Speed Up Linux [Feature] →
While Linux is pretty efficient with a computer’s resources out of the box, there are still ways you can make it run leaner and meaner on your desktop. Using a little bit of know-how, a willingness to run a few terminal commands and a mind for efficiency, you can get every last bit of power from your Linux box, or get more life from an older system. Read on for a roundup of ways to slim...
Gun Metal Aluminum MacBooks Spotted at Apple... →
You know we’re getting close to MacWorld when the Apple noise shifts from steady hum to full-frenzied thrashing. Spooks report spotting an anorexic “dark grey” or “gun metal” 13-inch aluminum notebook prancing around campus, which could be a new MacBook model Apple’s supposedly buying LED backlights for, a destined-to-die prototype or pure bunk. Personally, I...
Dealzmodo: DivX Pro Free For a Limited Time [Deal] →
We love watching DivX, but what if you want to create DivX? You’d normally have to pony up for the DivX Pro pack to let you encode your favorite movies into our favorite format, but for a limited time you can download DivX Pro for free. Think of it as an early Xmas present to get more people creating content in their format. Wait, I see what they’re doing! [DivX via Wal-You via Cyber...
TomTom LINK 300 hits the FCC →
Filed under: GPS
While it likely won’t be of much interest to folks that buy their GPS units one at a time, those responsible for keeping tabs on whole fleets of vehicles will no doubt be pleased to hear that TomTom has an updated version of its LINK device on the way, as evidenced by its recent appearance at the FCC. As with the earlier version, the new LINK 300 model is designed to be...
Keyboard and Mouse for Dell E1405 →
Why you should have your own domain →
Would You Pay More for Premium Tech Support? [Ask... →
Over at the CNET News blog, Steve Tobak poses a question that’s probably occurred to anyone stuck on hold: Would you pay a little bit extra for tech and customer support if you knew it would be, well, better? Tobak bases his question on outsourced vs. U.S.-based support, but I’d say there are other factors I’d be willing to pay for—like reaching representatives who won’t...
The lies retailers tell, part 1: Monster Cable →
I’ll accept that “cables make a difference” in certain situations. Cable length, interference, and corrosion can effect cables, especially analog signals, and I’ve seen some improvements in using higher-end cables on higher-end gear. This, however, is unacceptable. Gizmo Republic visited a big box store where they found some red hot Monster HDMI cables for sale and demo showing the clear Monster...
Top 10 New and Improved Apps of 2007 [Lifehacker... →
When it comes to new technology, 2007’s destined to be remembered as “The Year of the iPhone”—but a whole lot more went on in the past 12 months besides Apple’s much-hyped gadget launch. From significant upgrades to apps we already know and love, to major operating system releases, to a few new tools that help us get things done (or at least point toward the future),...
You Are Self-Employed (Even If You Work for a... →
Writer Steve Pavlina says that even if you work 9 to 5 for a company, think of yourself as self-employed—and make career moves from that perspective.
The only true boss of your work is you. Any external boss is just a customer of your personal services business. Maybe you’ll do a great deal of business with a single customer, but you’re always free to fire a customer you don’t...
The 5 Users You'd Meet in Hell →
cweditor writes “The Know-It-All. The Finger-Pointer. The Whiz Kid. “Just as a zookeeper cares for his monkeys one way and his rhinos another (we kid — sort of), so too should IT tailor its responses to fit the individual styles of its end users,” according to this Computerworld “rogue’s gallery of users (and one angel)”. Includes advice on how to best deal with...
Microsoft Giving Away Vista Ultimate, With a Catch →
Opinari writes “In case you haven’t heard, Microsoft is giving away copies of Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit or 64-bit DVD), Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007, Microsoft Money Plus Premium, Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2008, or Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008 — you can choose any one. The caveat is that you have to let them monitor your use of the program.” Read more of...
Guess what Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is? →
Merriam-Webster has named “w00t” the word of the year for 2007. W00t! President John Morse says that it’s the “ideal choice because it blends whimsy and new technology.”
“It shows a really interesting thing that’s going on in language. It’s a term that’s arrived only because we’re now communicating electronically with each other,” he said.
Allan Metcalf of...
50+ Tools For The WordPress Admin — Scott Fish →
The Second Stage Of The Radiohead Experiment →
Certainly an awful lot has been written about Radiohead’s experiments with new business models, but it’s starting to crank up again, as the band gets ready to release the new album on CD. While some fans felt “betrayed” by this, the band had made it quite clear from the beginning that this was the strategy. However, it’s likely that we’ll now see plenty of...
New Material Provides Constant Light For 12 Years... →
MPK, a company that has made a name producing glow-in-the-dark paint, has developed self-luminous micro particles called Litrospheres. The new material is said to be inexpensive (35 cents to light up a 8 ½ x 11 piece of plastic that is 1/8” thick), non-toxic, and capable of staying constantly lit for over 12 years thanks to a betavoltaic technology that uses a radioactive gas. Fortunately,...