A user by the name of LaughingSquid has posted some interesting pictures from the Computer History Museum. We’ve come a long way. Check it out. It won’t be too long until we’ll look back on the computers we’re using right now with awe.
Month: February 2006
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Computer History Museum photos
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Is this the new video iPod?
Tech Today has posted this picture and article which it reports to be related to the next generation video iPod:
this picture was taken of a pre-production version of the iPod Video (with a Motorola V710 taken around mid Jan ‘06) playing a specialy encoded version of The Office. With the release of this new device, higher resolution copies of shows already available for purchase on iTunes will also be available for download.
To me this looks like a pretty poor photoshop, but I’m posting this just in case. The design, I’ll point out, does seem to be consistent with the rumored design of the upcoming generation of video iPod.
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Benefit for homeless canceled…due to weather
An event to raise funds for people who have to sleep in the cold was canceled because it was cold:
… the second annual “Homeless in the Park” event scheduled to be held by Alpha Delta Pi and Pi Kappa Alpha Greek organizations of Southeast Missouri State University. The event which would have included 150 men and women spending the day without food and water in an effort to raise money for the Salvation Army was canceled due to the snow.
“It was snowing last night so we didn’t know if we were going to do it, and when we woke up this morning the conditions were a little horrendous so we decided to call it off,” said Pi Kappa Alpha president Brent Jackson.
In short, the day was too cold to be homeless.
“I don’t want to sound like that, but it really was,” said Jackson.
Words escape me.
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“Lawer” threatens Boing-Boing
Not long ago Cory Doctorow blogged of a saga involving a stolen camera and the unwillingness of the thief to send it back to it’s rightful owner:
A woman lost her camera on holidays; the family who found it decided not to return it because their child liked it so much.
On Monday the plot thickened, as Doctorow points out:
Shortly after that post, I got an email from someone who claimed his name was “Don Deveny,” purportedly a Canadian Barrister of a sort called “Queen’s Counsel.” “Deveny” implied that the post was illegal and that I was liable for making it.
However, I don’t believe that “Deveny” is a lawyer. For one thing, he can’t spell “lawyer.” For another, he doesn’t know the difference between “libel” and “slander.” He can’t even spell “counsel.”
I have contacted all of the law societies in Canada that license barristers to practice. None of them have any record of “Deveny,” nor does the Canadian Law List. No one under that name is listed in any Canadian phone directory as a practicing attorney.
Be sure to read all the drama on Boing-Boing.
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Best Buy gripes
Last weekend a cold snap and a case of cabin fever flushed us out of the house and before we knew it we were at Best Buy trying to find a couple movies. Now, I remember up until about 10 years ago Best Buy used to be a pretty cool shopping experience. I used to be particularly fond of rooting through the discount game and music section. I don’t really play video games anymore – and I find buying music online to be a far more enjoyable experience. In fact, I sometimes look at people perusing the CD section with the same fascination I might look at a Betamax machine or one of those calculators from the late 1970s.
We tried to play with the video iPods and iPod Nanos – but for the umpteenth time in several months they were again on screen-lock. This was likely a sales opportunity. To ask for the screen-lock to be taken off would cue a rapport with a sales person who could push you over the fence in the event you were walking it. I purposely smudged the black models with my thumbprint in protest.
Even worse, I noticed that the DVD aisles had been considerably narrowed, presumably in an attempt to squeeze more merchandise into the store. As if the floorspace occupied by the Celine Dion boxsets nearby was so crucial that the New Releases DVD section had to be compromised to accomodate it. And no, I have nothing against Celine Dion. I’m sure her boxsets sell very well in Lubbock.This narrowed aisle was pretty frustrating considering one man seemed to think that the carts used to transport heavy merchandise like TVs and stereo systems should be used to transport several of his small children, as one might do in a grocery store. Several snarky and loud comments were not enough to persuade the guy not to jacknife his cart in front of the New Releases section for 15 minutes while he talked on his cell phone and looked ever so yearningly at the Knight Rider box sets.
I’m not sure if anyone else has experienced the Incredible Shrinking Aisles of Best Buy, but it has me reconsidering any further weekend visits.
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Zelda marks 20th anniversary
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Legend of Zelda series, first released on the Nintendo Entertainment System. 1UP gives “20 Reasons Why We Love Zelda”:Those of us who grew up with an NES under the TV have fond memories of The Legend of Zelda. Its magnificent golden cartridge became something of a fetish object. Such deluxe packaging proclaimed that this was a truly special game, and it was. We spent hour after hour poking through Hyrule’s nooks and crannies: trying to track down the last elusive dungeon entrance, hunting for those bomb bags. But thanks to the innovative built-in battery, every little bit of progress we made would carry over to our next play session. (more)
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February Jams
What’s on my iPod for February:Pretenders: Just call me angel of the morning (lyrics), Chain Gang (lyrics)
Lords of the Underground: Microphone checka (lyrics)
Scientific American Podcast
Pixies: Where is my mind? (lyrics)
Pete Townshend: Let my love open the door (lyrics)
Johnny Cash: I’ve been everywhere (lyrics), Georgia on a fast train (lyrics)
Groove Armada: Hands of time (lyrics) -
Always assume the camera is on
This should serve as a good reminder for those of us who use video conferencing. Always assume the camera is on, especially when you decide to quickly do away with a crucial piece of your *ahem* undergarments at the conference table
Michael Castellon 