AppleScript: Control your Mac with an e-mail

"Have you ever been away from your Mac and wanted to shut down, restart, or needed to open an application remotely, but didn't have access to anything except your iPhone? Well, I am going to show you how to do these tasks with AppleScript and Mail."

[via tuaw]

Japan's 10 funniest tech-related ads

"Even the most culturally sensitive among us has to acknowledge that Japanese commercials are… well, strange. First of all, most Japanese commercial actors hail from the Randy "Macho Man" Savage school of advertising whereby they look directly into the camera and shout the product name as loudly and excitedly as they can."

[via network world]

How Long Does it Take to get to the Moon?

"Many missions have arrived in lunar orbit and landed on the lunar surface, but the means of getting there are widely varying. Whether a mission uses a rocket to blast its way there, or a subtle ion engine to slowly edge its payload closer, we have many options open to us when we travel to the Moon in the future. To this end, I'll give a quick rundown from slowest to fastest flights to Earth's natural satellite 380,000 km away."

[via universe today]

Gadgets That Make You Seem Artistic

"Everyone is an artist." Those are the words of the controversial German artist Joseph Beuys, and I happen to agree with him. The statement is especially true in our modern age of techno toys. With off-the-shelf hardware and software breaking the world down into so many ones and zeroes, it's getting a lot easier to experiment with things that used to be expensive or time-consuming (digital photography eliminates the money and time required for film and processing, for instance), or to unleash brand-new creative ideas."


[via pcworld]

10 Sex Toys That Are Confusing and Wrong

"You have worked hard and now it's high time you got to relax and enjoy a "Thank Giz It's Friday" roundup of gadgets that are pointless, vulgar, confusing and (in some cases) scary. If you find yourself saying "I have that!" a number of times while perusing the following gallery, it might be a good idea to sort some things out with a trained professional."

[via gizmodo]

Sci-Fi Movie Inspired Gadgets That Have Become a "Reality"

"PC Mag has put together a list of 10 movie inspired gadgets that may or may not have been the inspiration for some modern day devices. While some of the associations may be thin at best, there are definitely some plausible connections there. Still, a flashlight ain't no lightsaber and an all-terrain skateboard ain't no Back to the Future hoverboard."

[via gizmodo]

Neo Geo Stick 2 for the Wii

" When you're playing Samurai Shodown on your virtual Neo Geo, you need more than that rinky-dink controller to immerse you in a world of arcade magic. When you need to reach for a controller than can match up to your memories, you need the Neo Geo Stick 2."

[via engadget]

The OLPC XO gets overclocked, loses its innocence

" It's safe to assume that if you're using one of OLPC's XO laptops, you're not exactly a speed demon. Still, you probably wouldn't mind squeezing a little more power out of that innocuous Geode CPU -- and now there's a way to do it. The cats and kittens over at OLPC News have discovered a way to (relatively) safely overclock your system using a shortcut at the open firmware prompt."

[via engadget]

Firefox Logo Spied In Deep Space

"One of these is a photograph taken by the Hubble space telescope on December 17, 2002, featuring the variable star V838 Monocerotis. The other is the same photograph overlaid with a familiar logo."

[via wired]

iPhone to Support GPS, Stereo Bluetooth, Nike+, Battle Hackers

"As the Second Coming of the JesusPhone looms over the horizon, the rumor pace starts to accelerate, with people digging in the dirt to try to get any clues about what's awaiting in this incarnation of Apple's cellphone. StuffTV is now reporting that—just like Jason wanted—Nike+ will definitely come to the iPhone in a big way, while code detectives have found strings that hint at support of Bluetooth stereo headphones, GPS support, and other iPhone seeeeeecrets:"

[via gizmodo]

Gartner Says Vista Will Collapse. And That’s Why The Yahoo Deal Must Happen

"Gartner analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald told a conference audience yesterday that Microsoft’s Windows product is collapsing and must make radical changes to its operating system or risk becoming a has-been. They specifically pointed out the slow adoption rate by businesses - just 6% to date - and the fact that the Vista code base is so large. That means changes take years, and only high end computers can really take advantage of it anyway."

[via tech crunch]

Analysts predict bleak future for Windows

"Calling the situation "untenable" and describing Windows as "collapsing," a pair of Gartner analysts have claimed that Microsoft must make radical changes to the operating system or risk becoming a has-been. In a presentation at a Gartner-sponsored conference in Las Vegas, analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald said Microsoft has not responded to the market, is overburdened by nearly two decades of legacy code and decisions and faces serious competition on a whole host of fronts that will make Windows moot unless the Redmond company acts."

[via tech world]

The PS3 Laptop

"Rewind back to late 2006. The PS3 was launching alongside the Wii and geeky editors like ourselves were having a field day. We'd already managed to convince our good pal Ben Heck to build another Xbox 360 laptop and the Wii Laptop, so it was only a matter of time before we started brainstorming on how the hell we could possibly fit a PS3 into a "portable" enclosure. That's the part where Ben stepped up his game and worked his magic -- on and off for almost a year and a half -- to build... the PS3 Laptop!"

[via engadget]

New Hi-Res Views of Mars's ''Fear'' Moon Unveiled

"It might look like the Death Star, but rebel forces would have nothing to fear from Phobos, the Martian moon named for the Greek god of horror. The moon was recently imaged in high resolution by the Mars-orbiting HiRISE camera.

The tiny moon's most prominent feature is Stickney Crater, pictured above in false color. Blue regions around the rim likely represent younger material, scientists say. "

[via national geographic]

Welcome to Hulu vision

"Imagine a network that lets you watch Michael Bluth torch his family's banana shack, Malcolm Reynolds outsmart the Alliance, Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura save the cheerleader and the world and Ted Baxter's bumbling infuriate Mary Richards on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."Now envision picking and choosing which episode you want of each show and when you want to watch it. Add features such as being able to start and stop, fast-forward and rewind at will. And a network where commercial breaks eat up no more than 30 seconds instead of 5 minutes.And best of all, it's free."

[via individual]

DIY Star Destroyer Project

"The first time I tried this project was 1981. It involved a lot of cardboard, masking tape and several precariously wired 60 watt light bulbs. Probably a good thing it didn't make it too far.

Just a few short years later, I was ready to try it again. Although I've recently played around modifying models, this is my first serious attempt at a scratch build."

[via star destroyer project]

Aussie finds meteorite crater on Google Earth

"A rare meteorite impact crater in remote Western Australia has been discovered by an Australian geologist using Google Earth. The Hickman Crater, located in the Pilbara region around 1000 km northeast of Perth, was named for its discoverer, Arthur Hickman, who was using Google Earth to conduct research on channel ore deposits."

[via cosmos magazine]

TypingWeb

"TypingWeb is an online typing test & typing tutor and the only software you'll ever need to learn to type fast and accurately. All skill levels will benefit from TypingWeb's free typing lessons. Engaging content keeps things interested, including daily News Headline lessons. Best of all, TypingWeb's typing lessons are completely free for individuals!"

[via typing web]

Physicist expects 'God particle' will be found soon

"The father of a theoretical subatomic particle dubbed "the God particle" says he's almost sure it will be confirmed in the next year in a race between powerful research equipment in the United States and Europe. British physicist Peter Higgs, who more than 40 years ago postulated the existence of the particle in the makeup of the atom, said his visit to a new accelerator in Geneva last weekend encouraged him that the Higgs boson will soon be seen."

[via usa today]

Episodic 'Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People' coming in June

"Telltale Games has revealed that the "new WiiWare episode series" hinted at during GDC08 will be Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive people, based on the character from Homestar Runner. The series will be a five-episode season with installments promised monthly on Nintendo's download service as well as the PC. The first episode is due out in June."

[via joystiq]

Indy 4 Soundtrack Spoilers

"The Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull soundtrack is now up for preorder on Amazon.com. The soundtrack featuring music composed and conducted by John Williams, gives us a peak at the story for the upcoming film. You can check out the semi-spoiler laced track listing."

[via slashfilm]

In Another Surprise Twist, AOL-Yahoo Deal Said to Be Close At Hand

"This at the same time that Yahoo is doing a limited test to place Google ads in its search results. Meanwhile, News Corp, which Yahoo once hoped would be its white knight, is said to be turning on Yahoo and talking to Microsoft about joining its bid. Obviously a lot of balls are up in the air right now, and anything is possible."

[via tech crunch]

Top 10 Ways to Trick Out Your Desktop

"For something that you look at every day of your working life, your computer desktop doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. That's too bad, considering that the desktop can do a lot more than display wallpaper and hold shortcut icons. From widgets to workflows, from calendars to computer stats and beyond, you can do a whole lot on your desktop without manually starting up a single program."

[via lifehacker]

Hello, Veronica!

"Great news, world! I’m very pleased to announce that Veronica Belmont has joined the Revision3 family as Patrick Norton’s co-host on our tech-centric show Tekzilla, and we couldn’t be happier to have her on board. Not only does Veronica fit in well here because she’s got the brains (oh, the brains!), but she’s just an all-around cool person, too. We’re honored to have her with us, and I hope you’ll join me in welcoming her to the Revision3 team."

[via revision3]

High-Tech Olympic Torch Carries 5,000 Years of History

"The Olympic torch has been getting a hostile reception in London, Paris and San Francisco. But that fact doesn't seem to bother Lenovo, the PC manufacturer from China that designed the much-maligned torch, now making its way through 19 countries. Lenovo's design team shared this gallery of drawings and renderings with Wired.com to show how the torch went from inspiration to reality."

[via wired]

Cool G108 watch phone

"It features a clam shell design with a 1.5 inch display hidden inside, and uses a RAZR style keypad in a circular layout. The screen can display 256k colours at a resolution of 128 x 60, it also features Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera."

[via geeky gadgets]

The 7 Day Quest For The Perfect Hangover Cure

"Using science as an excuse to get tanked on booze has always been a dream of ours at the JAGT HQ, which is why writing this article was all the more satisfying. The thesis is simple; get drunk seven times and for each hangover, try a different ‘cure’ and report back on its effectiveness."

[via just a guy thing]

Google Unveils Tool To Track Refugees World

"Internet search giant Google Inc. unveiled a new feature Tuesday for its popular mapping programs that shines a spotlight on the movement of refugees around the world. The maps will aid humanitarian operations as well as help inform the public about the millions who have fled their homes because of violence or hardship, according to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, which is working with Google on the project. "

[via nbc 11]

3D printer to churn out copies of itself

"A self-replicating 3D printer that spawns new, improved versions of itself is in development at the University of Bath in the UK. The "self replicating rapid prototyper" or RepRap could vastly reduce the cost of 3D printers, paving the way for a future where broken objects and spare parts are simply "re-printed" at home. New and unique objects could also be created."

[via new scientist]

Specialized Private BitTorrent Websites - eLearning / eBooks

"There’s little speculation as to why students, professionals, writers, designers, tradespeople (and anyone else) are clambering to get into these private sites. Hey, we all know books aren’t cheap - especially medical/ science journals, University textbooks and trades/ technical/ law literature. Courtesy of textbooktorrents, here’s an example of what one can expect to find on the inside of a specialized e-Learning tracker."

[via file share freak]

New Kraken worm evading harpoons of antivirus programs

"Researchers at Damballa Inc have uncovered evidence of a powerful new botnet they've nicknamed Kraken. The company estimates that Kraken has infected 400,000 systems, which would make it twice the size of Storm during that botnet's hayday. (The final size of Storm's botnet is disputed; Damballa estimates Storm infected up to 200,000 machines)."

[via ars technica]

Jericho Third Season Still Possible

"At this point, any news of Jericho's demise should be considered exaggerated. Once a show proves that it can rise from the ashes based on fan support – it becomes a unique commodity in television. While Jericho's audience might not be CSI-sized – they are far from the regular casual viewers. They are dedicated, and they'll follow the series wherever it goes. Exploiting the value of such an audience is just good business – and it looks like others are starting to figure that out."

[via ign]

Space Startup Rocketplane Fails to Launch

"Rocketplane has suffered largely from the scope of its ambition: It tackled both the suborbital tourist market and the NASA-servicing orbital market at the same time, and tried to do it all without the benefit of a billionaire backer, like Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson. While all of the companies in the young commercial space industry have experienced delays and setbacks, Rocketplane's current position seems shakier than most."

[via wired]

How Deja Vu Works

"Have you ever visited a store for the first time and had it feel eerily familiar? Or maybe you're deep in conversation with a friend and you suddenly get the feeling that you've had the exact conversation before, even though you know that you haven't. If you've ever found yourself in either of these situations, you've experienced déjà vu. Sixty to 70 percent of us admit to getting this feeling at least once in our lives."

[via how stuff works]

Flickr Video Launches - A Unique Experience

"The product is not a YouTube clone by any means. The Flickr team, led by Director of Product Management Kakul Srivastava, spent considerable time debating the feature set and user experience internally before launch. The goal is not to have people upload long videos or clips of copyrighted material. To reinforce that, videos can be only 90 seconds in length and 150MB in size ."

[via tech crunch]

21 Awesome (But Lesser-Known) Open-Source Applications for Windows

"These applications range from moderately popular to downright obscure, but all of them are open-source and FREE. All of them are worth the install time if you have never tried them. As a side bonus, many of them are cross-platform as well."

[via tech tips for us]

Creepy Little Girl From “The Ring” All Grown Up!

"So not many of you will know who is, but all of you have probably seen her at some point. Well she is the creepy little girl that scared the heck out of all of us in the US version of The Ring. Well, she is all grown up now!"

[via to be a geek]

Top 10 Traits of a Rockstar Software Engineer

"Every company is a tech company these days. From software startups to hedge funds to pharmaceutical giants to big media, they're all increasingly in the business of software. Quality code has become not only a necessity, but a competitive differentiator. And as companies compete around software, the people who can make it happen - software engineers - are becoming increasingly important. But how do you spot the 'cream of the crop' programmers? In this post we outline the top ten traits of a rockstar developer."

[via read write web]

Maximize Firefox Without Extensions Using about:config

"We’ll show some simple about:config modifications below. Even if the word “Boolean” means nothing to you, we’ll try to make it easy to understand about:config settings. For power users, Mozillazine.org has a comprehensive list of about:config settings, their meanings, and how to modify them. Btw, although the screenshots below were made on a Mac, all of these hacks work for Windows users too. "

[via best of the web]

110 best books: The perfect library

"From classics and sci-fi to poetry, biographies and books that changed the world… we present the ultimate reading list. Illustrations by David Juniper"

[via telegraph]

If ET Calls, Would We Be Told?

"If a verified message from aliens is ever received, would the public be told about it? SETI – the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence - does have an international protocol that if an alien signal is ever received, it would be disseminated among the astronomical community and made public."

[via universe today]

Firefox 3.0 Beta 5 faster on Mac OS X than Safari 3.1

"Previous benchmark tests that I’d carried out on my Mac mini had shown that Safari 3.1 was the fastest browser for the Mac OS X. Firefox 3.0 Beta 5 changes that. Using the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark test my testing shows that Firefox 3.0 Beta 5 holds a 7% lead over Safari 3.1. "

[via zdnet]

Google Jumps Head First Into Web Services With Google App Engine

"Google isn’t just talking about hosting applications in the cloud any more. Tonight at 9pm PT they’re launching Google App Engine (Update: The site is live), an ambitious new project that offers a full-stack, hosted, automatically scalable web application platform. It consists of Python application servers, BigTable database access and GFS data store services."

[via tech crunch]

6 Insane Cults (That Would Probably Be a Lot of Fun)

"Politics, sex and religion are the three things you're not supposed to discuss in mixed company. Fortunately, if you're in a cult, odds are you get to discuss those topics as much as you want. In the right cults you probably get to discuss them while having group sex. If you're allowed to speak, that is."

[via cracked]

Battlestar Galactica Returns to Stellar Ratings

"Battlestar Galactica roared back into action Friday night, as the Season 4 premiere delivered more than 2.1 million total viewers — a 19 percent increase over the January 2007 bow of Season 3.5. BSG also emerged as cable's No. 1 prime-time program in Sci Fi Channel's key 25-54 demo. "

[via tv guide]

11 innovation lessons from creators of World of Warcraft

"Blizzard Entertainment, the envy of the computer game industry, has learned 11 lessons on innBlogger: Geek Picks - Create Postovation that can help almost any business. Irvine-based Blizzard used these innovation methods not only to create the world’s most popular massively multi-player online game, World of Warcraft, but also to keep the game fresh and challenging for more than 10 million players."

[via freedom blogging]

Comcast monitoring Twitter, blogs and other social media

"Have a complaint with cable company Comcast? Don’t bother calling their helpline: Instead write a blog entry or, better still, send a ‘tweet’ or two via Twitter threatening to “expend significant energy over the next three weeks trashing Comcast.” That’s the lesson taught by TechCrunch founder and co-editor Mike Arrington, after his Comcast broadband connection went down for 36 hours."

[via zdnet]

10 Cool Gadgets You Can't Get Here--Yet

"A high-definition TV you can carry in your pocket. A remote you talk to. A dongle for bringing HDTV broadcasts to your laptop while you're on the go. Sound great? Too bad, because you'll have to cross an ocean to get them. The coolest gadgets often debut overseas--usually in Asia. Some are cell phones that double as music players or TVs. Others are supersmall yet powerful notebooks or handheld PCs. And some are just weird, like the world's most disturbing piggy bank."

[via pcworld]

Phone handset to project movies, internet on the ceiling

"Tiny screens have been a big hindrance to the wider use of mobile phone handsets to read email, surf the internet or watch movies. This is set to change by next year when people will be able to use their handsets to project large, vivid colour images onto any flat surface."

[via monsters and critics]

Twitter: Why It’s So Great And How To Effectively Use It

"Apparently micro-blogging is getting more and more popular by the day and consequently its biggest platform on the web, Twitter, is rapidly growing as well. This means there’s a whole new emerging market of tech savvy, blogging experienced users that’s just waiting to be grasped. A great opportunity indeed!"

[via lost art of blogging]

Yahoo! Rejects Microsoft's Offer, Says 'Still An Option'

"In response to an open letter from Steve Ballmer, Yahoo! posted a press release claiming that Microsoft's offer 'substantially undervalues Yahoo!' and is therefore not in the best interest of the company. They also bemoan that the letter 'mischaracterizes the nature of our discussions' and that the threat to make an offer directly to the shareholders is 'counterproductive and inconsistent with the stated objective of a friendly transaction'. Nevertheless, they explicitly point out that a transaction with Microsoft is still an option, but only if they are willing to pay 'a price that fully recognizes the value of Yahoo!'"

[via slashdot]

Foil Identity Thieves

"Identity theft is one of those topics that rarely leaves the headlines. Two prominent U.S. government data breaches in recent years -- a laptop stolen from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and a breach at the Energy Department -- resulted in the theft of the personal data of millions of government employees. The thefts also rejuvenated efforts in Congress to enact federal rules regarding notification, information-security and consumer-protection mechanisms."

[via wired]

3G iPhone in 60 Days?

"Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal claimed that the 3G iPhone will be released in 60 days. It is unknown how Mossberg knows this little tidbit of tech info, but the rumor has been circulating for a while. In addition, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega commented that in the coming months all of their smart integrated devices will be 3G, including the iPhone."

[via truemors]

Earth in crisis, warns NASA's top climate scientist

"Global warming has plunged the planet into a crisis and the fossil fuel industries are trying to hide the extent of the problem from the public, James Hansen, seen here, NASA's top climate scientist says"

[via physorg]

The Complete Field Guide to Testing Firefox 3

"The new version of our favorite browser has seen its fifth and final beta release, and Mozilla says its for testing purposes only. However, the Firefox 3 beta is leaner, meaner, faster, and just plain better than Firefox 2—and don't tell Daddy Mozilla, but even at this early stage, we've found it to be stable enough for full-time use."

[via lifehacker]

The Pros & Cons of Coffee Drinking

"Do you like coffee? I do, it's taste and aroma make my mornings so much better! But I heard that regular coffee drinking can have some negative effects on my health, so I decided to do my own little research and here is what I have found."

[via hub pages]

Wiimote knockoffs hit the market

"CHINA IS FULL of knock-offs and questionable homages to products that would get you sued in a country where IP lawyers own government. One of the most humorous of these seen at IDF was the 3D iJoy, aka the Wiimote."

[via the inquirer]

The tallest building in the world and still growing

"It is the tallest man-made structure in the world – and it is still growing. When complete next year the Burj Dubai will stretch half a mile into the sky over the United Arab Emirates, taller than three Canary Wharf towers balanced on top of each other. Already 2,200ft tall, and the result of 22million man hours of labour, the Burj is the pinnacle of skyscraper engineering."

[via daily mail]

How To Spot a Cylon Poster

"Colonial scientists have come up with an easy chart to help us all understand how to spot a Cylon. Thirty-six inches high by 24 inches wide, and printed on high-quality 100-pound satin-finish paper, this poster, when strategically placed around your barracks, not only remind us how to see those robotic meat popsicles for what they are, but puts them on notice that they can't hide from us anymore."

[via think geek]

Minas Tirith Matchstick

"A couple of years ago, Iowa artist Patrick Acton built a model of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School completely out of matchsticks. His latest matchstick project is even bigger. He’s building a model of the fortress Minas Tirith from the Lord of the Rings trilogy! Acton expects the model to be completed in 2009."

[via neatorama]

Two Alternative Cloverfield Endings

"The upcoming Cloverfield DVD release (out on April 22nd) includes two “alternative endings”, which have found their ways onto the internets. The first new ending features a clip of Rob chasing Beth around on a subway platform before 1-18-08. The second ending features a few brief mili-seconds of a man removing the camera from the rubble followed by a clip of Rob and Beth in Coney Island. Both endings are more like minor edits than full alternative conclusions."

[via slashfilm]

Darth Vader's armor

"Darth Vader's armor was a mobile life support system that Anakin Skywalker was forced to wear to compensate for the serious injuries he suffered after his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar in 19 BBY. It was designed to maintain and protect the young ex-Jedi's charred body while exuding an air of intimidation and control. His suit followed an ancient Sith tradition, in which the warriors of the dark side of the Force would adorn themselves in heavy armor. The suit was constructed using various methods of Sith Alchemy which served to augment Vader's severely diminished physical strength and vitality."

[via wookieepedia]

Back Up While You're Away with IdleBackup

"Windows only: Freeware utility IdleBackup automatically backs up your files while you're not using your computer. Choose the folder you want to back up and the destination—whether it's a thumb drive, network drive, or big external drive—and the amount of time that your computer should be idle before the backup runs."

[via lifehacker]

5 Hot Lady-Bots You Probably Shouldn't Have Sex With

"A trained psychologist could probably say a lot about our society's fascination with hot female robots. In fact, the inability to produce a lifelike female sexbot was named as the single biggest scientific failure of the modern era in one survey of Cracked.com staff."

[via cracked]

Facebook Chat Launches

"Facebook has added a new Chat bar to the bottom of the page that’s always present everywhere on the site. (It’s there by default, and you’re not able to hide it.) The Chat bar gives you access to your current chat windows, online friends list, notifications, chat settings, and your online status."

[via inside facebook]

Microsoft Threatens to Go Hostile on Yahoo

"Microsoft says Yahoo has three weeks to negotiate a decent deal, after which time Microsoft is going to get medieval on its ass. The company sent out a letter to Yahoo's board, whining about how there hasn't been any meaningful progress in negotiations, and in the meantime, the equity markets are tanking."

[via wired]

Film legend Charlton Heston dead at 84

"Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing "Ben-Hur" and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84. The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said."

[via yahoo news]

First Look: Dragonball

"JoBlo was able to uncover some photos from Fox’s big screen adaptation of Dragonball. I’m not sure if these are official or not, and if not, they might not be up for long (hey, it’s Fox after all). So check out some of the better photos below while you have the chance, and tell me what you think in the comments."

[via slashfilm]