Kansas City Tech Guide

HDD enclosure wedded with multi-function dock — has to be Brando

computer guru — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:23:32 +0000

We’re still torn on whether we’d have this or one of those always-evolving HDD Stage Racks at our desk, but really, you can’t go wrong either way. Brando’s 2.5-inch SATA HDD Enclosure with Multi-Function Dock pretty much explains itself, but if you struggle with piecing things together, we’re here to help. The unit holds any 2.5-inch SATA drive you care to insert, and the base doubles as a 2-port USB hub and multicard reader. The whole thing is just $25 — the tough part is choosing between red or black. Hmm.

Pac-Man Roomba created with 448 LEDs

computer guru — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:22:35 +0000

We were beginning to wonder if the Roomba hacking community had been sucked dry of ideas, but leave it to longjie0723 to give us hope yet. This Roomba hacker (yeah, he also rigged his up for Wiimote control) managed to solder 448 yellow LEDs onto a board and program said devices to move in such a way that a Pac-Man-type image is seen. C’mon, who hasn’t dreamed of having that ghost-inhaler work his magic on those forsaken floors? Check the video after the jump.

[Via Hack N Mod]

World’s largest 3D display revealed in 4D spacetime

computer guru — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:21:28 +0000

Ooo, ahhh, you feeling that 3D display on your 2D panel? You should, it’s the world’s largest 3D LCD panel from VMJ measuring in at 65-inches. The stereoscopic panel developed with support from VisuMotion features a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 6-ms refresh, 120-degree viewing angle, and DVI and RGB inputs. Best of all, no goofy 3D glasses of any type are required thanks to the incorporation of Sharp’s Parallax Barrier viewing technology. Priced at Â¥3.15 million (about $30k) when it starts advertising CosaNostra Pizza around Mr. Lee’s Greater Hong Kong.

[Via Akihabara News and Impress]

DARPA’s Nano Air Vehicle program puts UAVs on a diet

computer guru — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:20:18 +0000

It’s not like DARPA hasn’t been trying to miniaturize unmanned aerial vehicles already, but its Nano Air Vehicle program is yet another attempt to find tiny, ultra-lightweight devices that could theoretically “perform indoor and outdoor military missions.” More specifically, it’s looking for something less than 7.5-centimeters and under 10-grams, and the overriding goal is to “explore novel, bio-inspired, conventional and unconventional configurations to provide the warfighter with unprecedented capability for urban mission operations.” Reportedly, AeroVironment already has an idea in mind for such a drone (pictured), but as these type things always go, we’ve no idea how soon we’ll see critters like these take to the skies with a thumb-sized American flag plastered on the side.

[Via BoingBoing]

Newman’s Cool Man MP3 player: yes that’s a safety pin, stud

computer guru — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:19:13 +0000

In one fell swoop, Newman shows the industry how to get its ass back into plastic. The Cool Man MP3 player is anything but, man. Unless you’re still wearing that acid-washed, Blondie pin collector from your 80’s wardrobe. The DAP features an OLED display, MP3/WMA support, built-in mic and bleb poppin’ safety pin. And that juicy orange? We have no fracking idea since the player is about as waterproof as a, as a… well, entry-level MP3 player.

Steve Ballmer retirement: 2018, if Bill doesn’t get in the way

computer guru — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:17:47 +0000

As you’re undoubtably aware, Bill Gates is set to retire on June 27th at the ripe old age of 52. Bill’s Harvard bud, Mr. Dancin’ Steve Ballmer, also 52 and a notable fan of the developers, has been itching to take over since his appointment as CEO back in 2000. Speaking at an event on Tuesday, we now know that he intends to remain in command, “for another nine or 10 years… until my last kid goes away to college.” Still, as easy-going as the relationship appeared at D, the transition was forged in fire. In fact, the power conflict was reportedly so severe, according to the Wall Street Journal, that it “paralyzed business strategy decision that the company still wrestles with today.” The tension at least once unravelled into a public shouting match (no really, from Ballmer?) between the two. The struggle was apparently resolved in 2001 when Bill finally accepted that he was number 2, “I had to change,” says Gates. Keep in mind that Bill will continue “working” for Microsoft one day a week and serve as the chairman of the board after his so-called retirement. And with Ballmer packing up Gates with a parting quote like, “I’m not going to need him for anything. That’s the principle. Use him, yes, need him, no,” well, let’s just say things don’t seem 100% resolved.

Read — Retirement
Read — Conflict

T-Mobile ollies with Tony Hawk Sidekick LX

computer guru — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:16:35 +0000

The rumored Tony Hawk edition of the Sidekick LX is said to be making its first public appearance today, looking every bit the part with a “skateboard look and feel” made complete with “grip-tape-texture” and the skateboarding icon’s name plastered across the display’s bezel. This one isn’t just about branding, though — it’s being said that T-Mobile will use the occasion to launch a rather hearty LX firmware update that includes video recording, stereo Bluetooth, additional themes, some sort of video sharing capability, and more; it’ll be available to all LX owners some time this summer via an over-the-air update. Meanwhile, the very special Tony Hawk piece should be made available to buyers in mid-July.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Sanyo’s Xacti HD1010 1080i camcorder shoots 300fps slow-mo

computer guru — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:12:21 +0000

In its battle with Sony for 1080i pistol grips, Sanyo just announced a minor, but notable update to its premium HD1000 Full HD MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 camcorder. The new HD1010 adds improved image processing and stabilization, new “face chaser” technology for stills and video, and amusing new 300fps slow-motion mode. Nothing compared to Casio’s freakish EX-F1 but a nice novelty for shooting the kids’ sporting adventures. Sanyo also tossed in a new 7fps continuous still shot mode which snags images at the sensor’s maximum 4 megapixel resolution. A minor bump for sure but it makes for a compelling offering at the (relatively) low asking price of $800 when it hits the US in July (Japan, June 20th).

Update: Akihabara News went hands-on in the video posted after the break.

[Via Impress and Akihabara News]

Walgreens to erect largest sign in Times Square, use just 12 million LEDs

computer guru — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 07:10:08 +0000

You know that impossible-to-miss NASDAQ sign on Broadway at 43rd Street in New York City? Yeah, the one that’s 11,000-square feet in size. The Walgreen Company has set out to make that look like child’s play, as it aims to erect a 250,000-pound sign at a three-level emporium in Times Square. Said display will reportedly be used to “raise [the drugstore's] visibility in New York,” while doubling as a “focal point for it nationally.” This beast will be covered in 12 million LEDs — 17,000 square feet of them, to be exact — and you can only imagine the hardware that will be required behind the scenes to keep this thing up and running. If you just can’t wait until next fall to peep this in person, head southward to the read link and dig in.

[Thanks, Brock]

Mysterious Asus laptop with projector spotted at Computex

computer guru — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:09:10 +0000

What’s this? An Asus laptop with built-in projector above the monitor? This curious computer was spotted plopped unceremoniously in a corner at Computex by PC Perspective. They report that the unlabeled machine’s camera — installed right at the top of the monitor bezel — rotates and that the projector’s performance is uncertain given the show’s bright conditions. If this is something other than a floor prototype, we’re awfully curious about battery life. Until then, we’ll just have to fantasize about portable PowerPoints of doom. Hit the read link to see a closeup.

Study secretly tracked 100,000 cellphone users’ locations

computer guru — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:05:59 +0000

Ask yourself this: Are you a statistic or a specific example? That’s the question being raised in the aftermath of a study in which researchers secretly tracked the locations of 100,000 people to determine their movement patterns. Such studies are considered invasions of privacy — and illegal — in the United States, but this one was done in an undisclosed industrialized nation. The subjects were chosen at random out of a pool of 6 million from a mystery wireless provider and tracked based on cell tower triangulation and other “tracking devices.” Study co-author Cesar Hidalgo at Northeastern University promises that researchers didn’t know the individuals’ phone numbers or identities, and offers that the results are a major advance for science. The study found that people are homebodies — most stay within 20 miles of their home and are rather habitual. Scientists say the findings — to be published in Nature on Thursday — can help improve public transit systems and even fight contagious diseases.

[Thanks, Doug]

[Via MSNBC]

International Space Station’s lavatory gets repaired, another saga ends

computer guru — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:04:17 +0000

We can’t say we’re terribly saddened that this riveting caper has finally ended — after all, the poor crew needs a reliable place to unload, right? Shortly after the space shuttle Discovery delivered a new pump for the jury-rigged commode, Oleg Kononenko — who we hear is now widely regarded as a galactic hero — spent around two hours installing the hardware and running a trio of tests. After everything was tightened up and functioning as advertised, the crew presumably relieved themselves just before carrying on with the installation of the recently acquired Kibo lab. Crisis averted.

Albatron demos 22-inch multi-touch screen for Windows 7

computer guru — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:02:35 +0000

We didn’t think it’d take too terribly long to make it happen, but Albatron is taking Microsoft’s heed and is already demonstrating a prototype 22-inch monitor with multi-touch, intended for use with whatever Windows 7 will eventually come to be called. The early verdict on the 1680 x 1050 display? TG Daily says it “works much better than we expected,” but we said the same thing about Surface when it debuted last year — so maybe it simply works as well as it should.

Zink-based Polaroid PoGo makes its debut

computer guru — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:01:17 +0000

It’s gone by a couple names since we first heard about it two CESs ago (Zink, Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer, etc.) but the first Zink-based product is finally on its way to buyers as the Polaroid PoGo Instant Mobile Printer. It’ll run you $150 for the unit (and $10 per pack of 30 sheets), and can print up to fifteen 2 x 3-inch photos on its rechargeable battery from any PictBridge capable camera or over Bluetooth. PC Magazine took a peek and found each print took between a minute and a half to two minutes (the latter over Bluetooth), and felt the quality was adequate at best, albeit sufficient for such small prints. Still, it’s no secret that your options are extremely limited when it comes to pocketable printers, even of the dye-sub variety (which Zink-based devices like the PoGo hope to put out to pasture).

JVC unveils duo of VHS / DVD / HDD recorders

computer guru — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:00:07 +0000

For the folks that just can’t let go, JVC is introducing a new duo of recorders that handle VHS, DVD and HDD-based logging. Predictably, the DR-HX500 holds 500GB while the DR-HX250 gets a 250GB drive, and outside of that, both units are identical. You’ll find a built-in analog / digital TV tuner, an HDMI socket and all the dubbing features you (or your grandmother) can handle. It should be noted that digital TV recordings can only be stored on the HDD, but it is possible to capture a digital show there while copying an analog broadcast to VHS / DVD. The pair is all geared up to land in multi-generational homes this July, with prices being pegged at Â¥95,000 ($906) and Â¥75,000 ($715), respectively.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Apple to introduce OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard” at WWDC?

computer guru — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:45:11 +0000

The pre-WWDC Apple rumor mill has finally churned out something that doesn’t have the words “3G” and “iPhone” involved — sources have told both Ars Technica and our friends at TUAW that Steve will also use his keynote to introduce the next major version of OS X, codenamed “Snow Leopard.” As the derivative release name indicates, there aren’t many changes in store from 10.5 Leopard — Apple’s said to instead be focusing on tightening up speed and stability as it starts producing more mobile devices. What’s more, this could be the end of PowerPC and Universal support in OS X, as Snow Leopard is said to be Intel-only. That’s bound to ruffle a few feathers, but things could get even more heated if Carbon is deprecated as is also being rumored. We’ll see when we see — Monday can’t get here fast enough.

Read - TUAW post
Read - Ars post

YBox2 DIY networked set-top box keeps the dream alive

computer guru — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:40:23 +0000

The YBox was pretty much destined to become a hit with the DIY crowd just as soon as it was handed 15 spectacular minutes at last summer’s Maker Faire. For those who reckoned the project would fade into the sunset as quickly as it arrived, we’ve got news proving your assumptions wrong… dead wrong. YBox2 has at long last arrived to the party, ready to serve up widgets and all sorts of pertinent information on your television screen. The new kit boasts an 80MHz Parallax Propeller chip and functions with any NTSC / PAL TV and any DHCP-compatible router — and yes, it still all fits within a flashy Altoids tin. Score!

[Via MAKE]

Midwest LAN War

computer guru — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:20:53 +0000

We have a date for MidWest LAN War 2008 and its August 2nd! This has really been a hard task to find a location that would fit 250 participants, provide enough power and have enough bandwidth. I know there are lots of other sites but most are just built for seminars, conferences and banquets. There was no thought to putting a couple of hundred computers or consoles in the room. This location is in Kansas City Kansas in a dance hall called The Rainbow Center. Its in the industrial part of southern KCKs located at 6220 Kansas Ave Kansas City, KS 66111 if you want to Google it. There is a map on our main page and all the information about the event is now listed.

It meets our power requirements, has Time Warner Cable and will seat more than 250 if needed. I was glad to have found this place as we were running out of time since I wanted this years event to be during the summer. Please tell your friends and post on other forums about our event. We have several banners on our website that you can use to post and link them to our site if thats all you can do. The more teams we get to this event the bigger cash prizes that will be offered. As it is we are going to match the prize pots up to 10 teams so each tournament has the ability to be a $1,000 prize pot! Counter Strike Source, Call of Duty 4 (PC), Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 (Xbox 360) are the Featured Games for this event.

Please check the website for more info: www.extremelankc.com

Digital Masterworks Art-TV could switch between TV and art display

computer guru — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:39:01 +0000

Oh sure, GalleryPlayer enables your HDTV to instantly turn into an art display, but it doesn’t even pretend to be anything classier than a multifaceted television. Samsung, however, is looking to change the game by partnering with Thomas Kinkade on a new 46-inch prototype Digital Masterworks Art-TV. The unit was recently showcased to news media, and it’s said to be “housed n a Thomas Kinkade frame designed to accentuate the fine art theme.” From what we can gather, it’s being aimed at folks who’d love a nice piece of art sitting above their mantel, but when the time comes, they can switch off the paintings and throw on a day’s worth of NFL in HD. The wild thing here is how important the actual art aspect is to the display, with hidden touch controls planned to enable viewers to flip through artworks and zoom in / out as they please. Heck, there’s even integrated WiFi, a 40GB hard drive, 3,000:1 contrast ratio, 8ms response time and 500 nits of brightness. The set is due out exclusively through Thomas Kinkade’s Signature Gallery later this year, with iffy plans to release it to other retailers in 2H 2009.

[Via CNET]

ELKC 34

computer guru — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:38:29 +0000

ELKC 34.0 will be on June 28th at American Inn in North Kansas City, MO. For those of you that were at our last event thank you for coming and dealing with our power issues. Management has assured me that they will have all the power issues fixed for our next event. I am to meet with their electrical engineer to go over all our power requirements in order to get things fixed for our next event. We had a sold out event with almost 100 participants a whole 20 more than we anticipated. This event sold out two weeks in advance and we worked to get everyone in. We even rented an additional room to get everyone in.

Please keep in mind that the power issues were not our fault. We worked hard to get everyone back online and we had solid power the rest of the night once we got all the bugs worked out. We even finished all of our tournaments ending around 4am with Call of Duty 4 (Xbox 360).

Raffle prizes were really something else as we had Time Warner donate several items like Motorola Walkie Talkie’s, Digital Binoculars, and UFC grab bags. The main prize they gave us was an Ipod Nano! That sure was a great prize that flesy won. There was several more items donated by nVIDIA, Alienware, Bawls and CPU Magazine. Thanks to all our sponsors!

We are close to a location for MidWest LAN War 2008. There are not many locations in the metro area that can meet the power and Internet requirements for us to pull off a 250 person event. The location we are looking at will meet all these requirements plus more! We are looking at July 26th for this event as being the date and that will not give us much time to get to promoting this so I am sending this out in this email to give you all an advance notice.

As soon as I get confirmation on the location I will put out another mass email. We really want to make this event an all out LAN party for everyone so get signed up on registration. The more teams we get the more the prize pots. Right now we are looking at matching up your contribution. You pay in $500 we will match it up to a $1,000 prize pot for 4 different tournaments. If this new location works out for us we will are looking at holding 4 different events per year there giving Kansas City its big prize pot tournaments that you have been asking for. I really want to see some numbers in order to make this happen. Its all up to you to see this through.

- ELKC Staff