Comment my recs (Score 1) 630
+1 to Godel Escher Bach
Unknown Quantity by Derbyshire, I believe he has another book out for Riemann's Hypothesis
anything by Martin Gardner (may be more appropriate to younger students, but definately interesting!)
Comment as always, xkcd covers this (Score 1) 664
Submission + - Best innovations of CeBIT 2007
Iddo Genuth writes: "Taking place for more than 20 years, the largest technology exhibition in the world might not have been as exciting as in previous years but still presented several interesting innovations. From GPS cameras to solar handbags, here are some of the less familiar technologies demonstrated at CeBIT 2007."
Submission + - Inphase Holographic Data Storage
Datahead writes: "Holographic Storage seems to be finally becoming a reality
http://www.byteandswitch.com/document.asp?doc_id=1 19781"
Submission + - OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator at CeBIT
demitri writes: Legit Reviews has a quick article up on OCZ Technology's Neural Impulse Actuator that OCZ is showing off over at CeBIT this past week and the device is worth a look. Geared to improve PC productivity and gaming, the actuator uses three neural sensors that are resting on the forehead of the user to create unique commands based on the specific permutation of brain, eye and facial muscle activity. Freaked out yet?
Submission + - Prius more environmentally damaging than a Hummer
An anonymous reader writes: According to this story from Central Connecticut State University the Prius takes more energy to manufacture than a Hummer, requiring 50% more energy to produce. In addition, they calculate that the Prius costs $3.25 per mile over it's expected lifespan of 100,000 miles compared to $1.95 per mile for the hummer.
Submission + - Philips patents morphing pants and shirts
An anonymous reader writes: The latest patent round-up on New Scientist includes one from Philips on garments that can be electronically adjusted to different measurements and styles. The clothes contain interwoven shape-memory alloys with shorten or lengthen in response to an electric current. So, next time flared pants come back into fashion, you could step out in style at the flick of a switch. The same round-up also includes a NASA idea for reducing aircraft noise and a cheaper way to image soft tissue in patients.
Submission + - Holographic Data Storage
chuck77 writes: "Next generation holographic data storage, very cool.
http://www.crn.com/storage/193401902
http://www.issidata.com/defaultspg.asp?storeID=WIN P"
Submission + - DRM could drive a revolution in free hardware
An anonymous reader writes: Increasingly restrictive intellectual property laws may make it difficult or even impossible to produce consumer electronics devices in the near future. If they aren't killed off by the growing mass of trivial patents for everything from double clicking to "look and feel", they may bump up against the DMCA for permitting the creation or playback of pirated content.
But the new developments in 3D printing and other DIY hardware innovations may could chnage all this by opening the door to DIY hardware. Just as VLC makes the issue of whether Windows Media Player can play pirated DVDs obsolete, freely downloadable blueprints for open source iPods that can be "printed out" on a desktop rapid prototyping device could spell the end for hardware monopolies.
This article by Charcoal Design explorers the evolution of consumer technology over the last 20 years, and suggests that desktop manufacturing of simple electronic devices such as media players could be the next big thing to hit the consumer hardware market.
But the new developments in 3D printing and other DIY hardware innovations may could chnage all this by opening the door to DIY hardware. Just as VLC makes the issue of whether Windows Media Player can play pirated DVDs obsolete, freely downloadable blueprints for open source iPods that can be "printed out" on a desktop rapid prototyping device could spell the end for hardware monopolies.
This article by Charcoal Design explorers the evolution of consumer technology over the last 20 years, and suggests that desktop manufacturing of simple electronic devices such as media players could be the next big thing to hit the consumer hardware market.
Submission + - Google Phone in the Works
Vacardo writes: Google is developing its own mobile phone, according to industry insiders and analysts.
The device described could handle voice over internet phone-calling. He said it is being developed within a 100-person mobile phone group at Google that includes Andy Rubin, the creator of Sidekick, a popular phone and internet device that he developed at a prior company he founded, Danger Inc.
"Mobile is an important area for Google," Google spokeswoman Erin Fors said on Friday. "We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."
The device described could handle voice over internet phone-calling. He said it is being developed within a 100-person mobile phone group at Google that includes Andy Rubin, the creator of Sidekick, a popular phone and internet device that he developed at a prior company he founded, Danger Inc.
"Mobile is an important area for Google," Google spokeswoman Erin Fors said on Friday. "We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."
Submission + - Audio Sombrero - A surround sound hat!
Ant writes: "Chairboy says "Is this the answer to the ancient question: 'How will I enjoy full surround sound while walking down the street?' Yes!!1!!1!eleventy!! A wicked combination of stylish and practical, it solves almost as many problems as it causes. It is a question wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in some sort of piece of bacon!""
Submission + - Create your own Atari 2600 Homebrew Games
Joe Langevin writes: "This video tutorial will demonstrate how to create your own homebrew games for
the old school Atari 2600 gaming console we all grew to love."
Submission + - OpenBSD: Now 2 remote holes in more than 10 years
Saint Aardvark writes: "CoreLabs released an advisory today about a remote hole in OpenBSD. The vulnerability, which affects versions 3.1, 3.6, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0 and the upcoming 4.1 release (for code obtained prior to Feb 26th; the upcoming CD is fine), comes from the way OpenBSD's IPv6 code handles mbufs. Theo's terse announcement is an interesting counterpoint to Core Security's timetable, which details their efforts to convince the OpenBSD team of the flaw's seriousness. The workaround is to block IPv6. Discussion continues on Undeadly.org, and a short discussion of the flaw's details can be found here."
Submission + - new consumer Internet/home/SOHO uber-appliance
open appliances writes: "http://www.geo-talk.com/
Open Appliances has created the first automatic digital telephone switch in a box — with firewall/router, data archive, media server, VPN and remote desktop/file access/sharing built-in.
There is no user interface for the appliance and it has only connections for telephone lines, USB disks, telephones, Internet (WAN) and local network (LAN). There is one button — ON/OFF.
PC backup agents, VPN clients and PC telephone software is all included with the system.
Wi-fi handsets are available to allow remote-control of the home/office phone lines from any wireless internet connection.
The entire system is open source in solid state using an Xscale-4XX 266Mhz single board CPU.
Systems are available now."
Submission + - SETI@Home is now the World's Fastest Supercomputer
jemecki writes: I was looking through the distributed computing statistics at BOINCstats today and I noticed that SETI@Home distributed computing grid just passed 280 TeraFLOPS in computing power. The reason this is so remarkable is that the fastest supercomputer in the world Blue Gene/L ALSO operates at a sustained 280 TeraFLOPS. So while governments are busy using their supercomputers to model bombs and nuclear weapons, the geeks have put together the world's fastest computer and they're using it to look for aliens. Awesome.
