Most of the robots we’re vaguely familiar with are good at menial tasks, like welding car parts or assembling microchips. But that isn’t to say that what they do isn’t difficult: Those tasks require ultra-precise data to be programmed beforehand. And though there are practical applications for spatially aware technology–like the …
Gadgets
Hug Your IT Person, It’s ‘System Administrator Appreciation Day’
What started as a joke holiday back in 2000 is now celebrated in several countries all over the world: System Administrator Appreciation Day.
The holiday’s inventor, Ted Kekatos told Networkworld, “Overnight I set up a website. It was tongue-in-cheek. I sent out an email to my friends announcing the holiday, directing them to the …
How Google TV Can Be Saved
Logitech is taking a beating for throwing early support behind Google TV. The company announced that it will cut the price of its Logitech Revue Google TV box to $99, which means each unit will be sold at a loss. And just in case there was any question of whether Google TV was a flop, Logitech offered an embarrassing statistic: The Revue …
When Your Gadgets Get to Know You: The Future of ‘Personalized’ Computing
Ben Bajarin is the Director of Consumer Technology Analysis and Research at Creative Strategies, Inc, a technology industry analysis and market intelligence firm located in Silicon Valley.
I’ve often told people who ask me about the future of technology that as we get smarter devices, smarter software, and smarter cloud services we …
WATCH: Microsoft Spoofs Google with the ‘Gmail Man’
While Google’s “E-mail Intervention” marketing campaign made the rounds this week, ZDNet reports that an attendee at Microsoft’s annual Global Exchange sales conference has managed to sneak out a cheeky video making fun of Gmail that was shown off on July 20.
Guys, watch out, I think there may be a nerd fight coming on.
BBC Finally Launches ‘Global iPlayer’ iPad App
Barely making the announced August deadline, BBC Worldwide has finally launched its “Global iPlayer” iPad app—but only for those in western Europe, reports paidContent.
Originally announced in November last year, the Global iPlayer brings what is being called “editorially curated” content from multiple British broadcasters and …
Can Your iPhone Fix the Debt Ceiling Mess?
As lawmakers in Washington continue to wrangle over a solution to the debt-ceiling mess, their search for a compromise has now got them thinking about iPhones, iPads and other smartphones and tablets.
That’s because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has added the sale of wireless spectrum to his proposed package of spending cuts and …
How to Make Your OS X Lion Purr Like a Snow Leopard
I know, you generally love Lion, but you also sometimes hate Lion and wish it would just settle down and respect your commands, several of which probably involve getting it to behave like its predecessor. We can help, or at least point out some of your options, say you’re partial to Apple’s prior cat.
The following tip sheet isn’t an …
T-Pain Dumps ‘Auto-Tune’ App, Then Sues for Good Measure
Rapper T-Pain made his name through the use of auto-tune. You know, the effect where a voice is pitch-corrected—or, in many cases, simply manipulated—during the recording and production process; think Cher in “Believe.” T-Pain popularized the effect the point that there’s even an official auto-tune app called “I Am T-Pain.”
But …
Google ‘Email Intervention’: Make Your Luddite Friends Feel Bad
Now why in the world would Google spend time putting together a marketing campaign in the hopes of getting Gmail users to recruit non-Gmail users? The wildly popular service doesn’t really need advertising. Hmmm.
Perhaps it’s because when you sign up for a Gmail account, you actually open a Google account that can be used for the …
RIM Opens Up BlackBerry Messenger to Attract App Developers
According to a new Reuters report, Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM) is planning on opening up its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service to embed in work and play apps.
The goal is not only to attract more app developers, but RIM is hoping that by inserting that popular instant messaging service into games, entertainment and …
Nintendo Slashes ‘3DS’ Portable Price from $250 to $170
In the wake of a $324 million net loss over the past quarter, Nintendo has announced that its flagship glasses-free 3D portable gaming machine, the Nintendo 3DS, will be discounted by $80—from $250 down to $170—starting August 12.
That’s a pretty aggressive price drop, and one which is highlighted with an almost desperate quote …