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Wednesday, May 28, 2003 |
Silent and Ever So Small, a Computer for Simple Tasks.
 In the fiercely competitive computer world, manufacturers offer many claims to distinguish their products. Andrei Bulucea, a project manager at Ituner Networks, has a particularly striking boast for the Mini-Box M100: By Ian Austen."
A tiny 8" x 8" x 1" 800Mhz computer that is best left alone, but would run windows with a IBM microdrive. Could it be mounted in the dash of a car? I'd say yes.
Analog Over Digital? For a Better Ear Implant, Yes.
 "An M.I.T. researcher has devised a processor for cochlear implants that he says consumes only about half a milliwatt, a 10th of the power of current devices. By Anne Eisenberg."
Cell phones and music without bothering your neighbor. And don't worry about the standing to close to the speakers at that club a few years back. And the best part? They are digital - they don't have to be charged as often!
If You Behave Yourself, I'll Print You a Toy.
 "Three-dimensional printers use a computer-controlled stream of a chemical or laser light to bind a powdery material, layer by layer, into an object. By Peter Wayner."
And the price on these....? Yup... still to expensive. ("Product pricing in the U.S. begins at $49,995 for the company's entry-level printer and extends up to $799,000 for its feature-rich industrial SLA system.")
11:51:37 PM 
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How very anti Cluetrain:
"An ex-Starbucks employee talks about the Fourbucks Foto Follies on his blog. I found this bit interesting: the current Starbucks game-plan is to make its stores into the place where people congregate with friends for social activities, which is at strong odds with not allowing photos on the premises.
In 1996 Starbucks started opening concept stores with reduced merchandise walls and bean counters replacing them with overstuffed couches and tables with chess boards. This was a move to increase their afternoon sales when business tended to be nonexistent. They called this strategy, "The Third Place", that everyone has three places that the choose to spend their time, at home, at work and somewhere personal and relaxing. Starbucks continues today to vie for this third place and are pretty successful at it when you look around at your local Starbucks. What was a concept a few years ago is now their default modus operandi.
This is where the flaw of the photography policy lies. Starbucks is not the Gap, nor are they a McDonalds. Starbucks is now a place to spend your lunch hour or congregate with friends. Starbucks no longer has any competitors which can threaten them at the national level. They are the largest buyer of whole bean coffee and virtually control the coffee industry. Starbucks has nothing to fear." [via Brian Fling & Boing Boing Blog]
10:54:59 PM
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I was shocked last week to find a email that looked like it was coming from PayPal requesting my credit card in a form inline to "keep my account up to date." For all intensive purposes, the email message looked authetic - the html grabbed images from the PayPal website as well as linked to their privacy statement and opt-in / opt-out applications.
The only catch was that the post on the inline form in the email was sent to www.paypal.com@somethingelse.com
Freaky.
There is an article about it at Security Focus
12:29:33 PM
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Zen Garden: "A demonstration of what can be accomplished visually through CSS–based design." [Scripting News]
10:00:01 AM
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© Copyright 2003 nick gaydos.
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