Senior Contributing Editors:
Jesus Diaz
| AIM | Twitter
Mark Wilson, Reviews
| AIM | Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Matt Buchanan | AIM | Twitter
Adam Frucci | Twitter
Sean Fallon | Twitter
Jack Loftus | Twitter
John Herrman | Twitter
Dan Nosowitz
Chris Mascari
Kat Hannaford | Twitter
Rosa Golijan | Twitter
Chris Jacob
Oh, to have enough time in the day to spend on this Mintpass puzzle calendar, which takes inspiration from those sliding-puzzle games we had as kids...only this time, with the day's date. Yes, really.
More »
For Viacom, Real Networks' partner in the Rhapsody venture, a spinoff is a chance to get rid of a bleeding appendage. For Real, it's like losing a failing—but vital—organ.
More »
The real next version of Google Maps for Android is getting pooped out right now, at least for the Nexus One: Maps 4.0 adds Google Buzz (of course), the synchronized starring in the Droid's 3.4 update and, intriguingly, night-mode navigation.
More »
You might not be a big graphics card PC buff, but in the under $100 sector, the new ATI Radeon HD 5570 is definitely a product to know. Tom's Hardware shares their excellent, extremely thorough review of the product here. More »
Google is really pushing to expand Street View off of the streets. First they talk about Google Store View, and now the Google Snowmobile is mapping ski trails.
More »
Get your spending cap on because today's dealz features a fantastic bargain on a 12-month subscription to Xbox Live, a nice discount on one of HP's most portable offerings, and a free version of the new and catchy Yeasayer single.
More »
What came first, the SDXC card reader or the the SDXC card? Also, could that be the worst riddle of all time? Maybe! Partly because it doesn't really work, and partly because Elecom has already answered it.
More »
Outside spent two months wearing Columbia's $250 lithium-ion-packing heater boots through snow. Unfortunately, the promise of toasty winter feet is little more than a promise.
More »
RIM still dominant, but dropped a point - Android more than doubled from 2.5% to 5.2%, iPhone OS gained a point from 24.1% to 25.3%. Palm and MS dropped.
Just started up Google Buzz on my Android phone. Things I've learned so far? There's a bunch of people really bored at work in Atlanta. Within a half-hour, it's already snowing little Buzz bubbles all over Maps. I hope there will get to be some kinds of filters.
Even then, though. This could have some interesting applications. I'm able to see a bunch of public updates. Imagine being in a park or something and putting out a buzz saying "Hey, anybody want to come fly a kite?" And then you could meet people through Buzz. And maybe even get raped and murdered by a stranger! Or possibly fly the kite. Who knows!
I'm interested to say the least. It may be another Twitter, but at launch this thing is already a much more powerful Twitter than Twitter.
Edit: You can comment on public Buzzes that you find in Maps at the very least. I've already begun exchanges with people in the Atlanta area.
Buzz, at least on Mobile, is one giant, geo-tagged public internet forum. Google. What hast thou wrought?
@OCEntertainment: If you are really lucky you can find someone willing to do all three with/to you.
I'll have to wait until I get home before I can check this out, but I've never found a compelling reason to sign up for a Twitter account so I'm skeptical that I will really get into this service.
@MagicalTrev: Ultimately, it looks like this service, by itself, is pointless. But Twitter, by itself, is pointless. Twitter was retarded when it first started, so I want to see what it turns into.
Already, though, I can tell you the comparisons to Wave are completely ridiculous. Wave is real-time document collaborating. Maybe a replacement for email, but only under certain circumstances. But it lacks context. Buzz could (and I want to emphasize could....it depends on what the users do with it) become what Twitter is with more context. Yeah, I know Twitter has some GPS services. Let's be real, no one cares nor uses it for anything practical.
The integration with other services helps. After getting the updated Maps application on my G1, all I had to do was enable a single layer. If integration with other services can work as easily, then people might take it from there.
Pulling from the established Gmail, Maps, Android and iPhone (if the integration is as smooth) user base was a smart first move.
@OCEntertainment: First thoughts? Yes, I'm really eager to broadcast my location to everyone with a Gmail account, and have conversations with perfect strangers who can see exactly where I am.
I'm wondering how long it's going to take for Google to get sued because some pedophile strikes up a conversation with some kid who's home alone, sees where the kids lives because said kid isn't careful enough block his/her location, and comes over to assault/murder them.
Google's management really needs to get over itself for a while and think more seriously about the ramifications of the stuff it's doing right now.
@iElvis: You have a point that this is something that needs careful consideration, but let's not fool ourselves. For starters, I can only assume that what I'm looking at here is strictly mobile users with location-aware tech included. I think there's going to come a wave of public safety announcements warning people of the dangers of broadcasting their location. And folks do need to consider that. As geo-tagged conversations get common (if they ever do), folks will need to learn to turn off GPS if they don't want to be caught up in weird stalker-y stuff.
However, it doesn't appear that anyone is getting geo-tagged that wouldn't already know they're broadcasting an address. Saying Google's the one who needs to rethink what they're doing is like saying credit card companies need to rethink giving people credit cards because sometimes lost credit cards can be used by scammers.
Still. This mess is weird. Still waiting for Gmail integration to kick in to see if it's gonna be useful.
If you happen to be in Times Square any time soon, you may notice this billboard for Best Buy's electronics recycling program. Make sure you take a close look! It's composed entirely of outmoded gear.
More »
Current augmented reality: Computers recognizing your surroundings and overlaying useful information over the real world. Future advertising-driven augmented reality according to Keiichi Matsudafor: A mind blowing view that will make everyone of us puke. Even his simulation makes me dizzy.
More »
#review
#dealzmodo
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.