2005¦~2¤ë4¤é


The fate of the Google bubble. SAN FRANCISCO -- Wall Street finally succumbed to the wishes of the small tech investor this week and unabashedly threw its support behind Googlemania. With newspaper and Internet headlines screaming words such as "soared, surged, and gaga for Google" to describe the Internet search giant's almost eightfold gain in fourth-quarter earnings and doubling in revenue, analysts wasted no time seeing who could put the highest price target on the shares. At last glance, it looks... [AlwaysOn Network]
3:39:44 PM    

Evolution of Portable Audio Photo Essay

trans_radio_final.jpg imageI'm so glad we invented Canada. The CBC's new Arts section has a great short feature on the history of digital music, from the first transistor radios [pictured] to the latest in tiny white music bricks. It's even worse than I am about the iPod, though, so don't expect a surprise ending. Writer Matthew McKinnon does float an interesting idea, though: if music hadn't broken free of the 'one family, one radio' format, we might not have the endless variety of music we have today.

Bring the Noise [CBC.CA via CollisionDetection]

- lev (tips@gizmodo.com) [Gizmodo]
10:18:57 AM    

Digital Camera Chipsets Improve in More Than Megapixels

piximcompare.jpg imageMichael Kanellos (who it looks like finally went on full-time with CNet) has a great article about the future of digital camera chipsets and the companies vying to become the 'Intel of the photography chipset world.' While the business details aren't all that interesting, some of the new technology sounds great. Case in point, this anti-glare technology from Pixim which takes a normal sun-filled photograph [left] and processes out the saturation [right], making it possible to take decent-looking pictures even when facing sunlight.

Who will become the Intel of photography? [CNet]

- lev (tips@gizmodo.com) [Gizmodo]
10:18:45 AM    

Solar-Powered Rainbow Maker

rainbowmaker.jpg imageThis cute little device suction-cups to your window, soaking in sunlight and shooting it out through a hanging prism, giving you (presumably) larger or more vibrant rainbows than you'd get with just sunlight alone. It's completely useless and obviously a mechanism of the Gay Conspiracy, but I want one pretty badly. Unfortunately, besides this bit on SorobanGeeks, I have no idea where one would purchase such a trifle. (And yes, it's supposed to hang with the prisms down, but I didn't want to cram it in).

RainbowMaker [SorobanGeeks]

Update: Or get it at MoMA! Or Amazon! Or WowCoolStuff! (Thanks, Google and Randy and Everybody!)

- lev (tips@gizmodo.com) [Gizmodo]
10:18:07 AM    

Strutz Shock-Absorbing Shoes

69700565gx2.jpg imageAlthough adding shock-absorbing technology to shoes is as old as the heels, I've rarely seen something so overtly mechanical integrated into something so dainty. These strappy sandals are just one model of many available from Strutz, who is selling at least four pairs of shoes with their spring-loaded heels. Their opening flash shows a few more, too, and I have to say the boots look downright wicked¡Xsomething about the look of a spring-jacked leather boot calls to mind some real-life kung-fu possibilities.

The four available models range between $100 and $170 right now, with more hopefully on the way (as long as they aren't ankle-breakers or anything). (Thanks, Joe!)

Product Page [StrutzShoes]

- lev (tips@gizmodo.com) [Gizmodo]
10:13:26 AM