From Our Archives
Stowe Consulting & Liftagency: Happy Halloween!
byMichael Baumert on October 30, 2008 12:56 PM
We'd love to extend a Happy Halloween to all of our clients (from Liftagency and Stowe Consulting). Stowe Consulting is offering a free service consultation - so please check it out.
Dell's AIO 24" XPS One.. Not Too Bad (For Dell)
byMichael Baumert on October 30, 2008 12:47 PM
Word comes from engadget that Dell's stepped up the All-in-one game with this 24" take on it's semi-popular XPS One.. there's also a review over at Desktop Review. If you're interested in picking one of these little baby's up, the price starts at around $1700, about $100 less than the entry-level 24" iMac
Chimpanzee vs Segway
byMichael Baumert on October 28, 2008 6:08 PM
The little chimp rides a Segway... 'nuff said.
New iPhone + Touch FPS coming along nicely
byMichael Baumert on October 28, 2008 2:08 PM
iPhone + Touch developer Fern Lightning is well on the way towards bringing an effective FPS (First Person Shooter) to the iPhone/Touch. According to TouchArcade, a free version of the app has already been submitted to Apple.
Redesign Watch: G2 Microsystems
byMichael Baumert on October 28, 2008 11:50 AM
Working with our partner company Stowe Consulting, we've just completed work on the new home for G2 Microsystems Inc. They're an Austrailian-based manufacturer of ultra low-power wifi chipsets. We used a persistent site map navigation style in the footer of the sub pages which is a bit different than you're likely to find elsewhere.. This was done in part for simplicity, and in part to offer an alternative to the Flash-based primary navigation scheme.
Enjoy!
PhlooQ: Widget Winner
byEric Gaither on October 22, 2008 12:24 PM
After weighing in all of the pros and cons, a finalist has been selected. The PhlooQ team and the web community really gravitated towards the open, approachable look and feel of the widget above. Everyone found the "maybe state" a welcomed addition and also emphasized a strong desire for natural looking hands in lieu digital versions. We're happy with the overall direction.
Next on the agenda, redesigning the website.
Next on the agenda, redesigning the website.
250MPH Eco-Friendly Future
byEric Gaither on October 21, 2008 5:05 PM
Motorsports 2025 is the theme for the The 2008 LA Auto Show Design Challenge. The environmentally 250MPH Madza Kaan is just one example. The electric race car is designed to compete in E1 races.
Intel Exhibits Moorestown MID Platform Device
byEric Gaither on October 20, 2008 10:17 AM
Intel's, Anand Chandrasekher, unveiled a MID platform prototype at the Taipei Developer Forum. The platform enables all of the functional goodies: 3G, GPS, WiMax, Bluetooth, and Mobile TV. It remains to be seen if the form factor of the example will hamper it's success. You are going to need some deep pockets for this one...literally.
S2000 vs Rally EVO
byMichael Baumert on October 16, 2008 9:40 PM
In this excellent footage, found over at techeblog, we find out who can follow the closest without passing the other..
Bueno!
Bueno!
Continue reading S2000 vs Rally EVO.
Barack Obama Buys In-Game Advertising
byMichael Baumert on October 14, 2008 4:28 PM
The Obama campaign will be buying up virtual space in a number of popular EA games, including Madden and Burnout Paradise. This is obviously a new area and the Obama campaign is the first presidential campaign to attempt something like this.
Game On!
Game On!
Broken Pixels: MST3K For Crappy Video Games
byMichael Baumert on October 14, 2008 1:32 PM
So 1up's Broken Pixels series has been around for a while, and it's not news but there's a great new episode up and it's worth a look. When you're done, be sure to check out more broken pixels and maybe even some Zero Punctuation for the ultimate 1-2 punch in sarcastic video game reviews.
Firefox 3.1 Brings the 3D
byMichael Baumert on October 14, 2008 1:04 PM
If you're up for a bit of beta testing, the new Firefox 3.1 might be for you. It includes a new approach to tab switching. Found over at lifehacker.
New MacBook Pro: Dual NVIDIA Graphics, Glass Trackpad, 'Brick' Manufacturing
byMichael Baumert on October 14, 2008 10:26 AM
As expected, the new MacBooks are here and there aren't a lot of surprises. Here are a few of the highlights:
- A new glass multi-touch trackpad which does away with a separate button and features four distinct finger gestures
- A new NVIDIA chipset which features both a 9400M (chipset) GPU solution and a 9600M dedicated graphics solution - the user can switch between the two to conserve battery life.
- The new 'brick' manufacturing process which uses a single block of aluminum to build the structure of the laptop.
Other items of note include a new 24" display which features built-in iSight, new aluminum Macbooks, bigger drives and better graphics for the MacBook Air.
More Pics after the break
DIY: Cylon Pumpkin
byMichael Baumert on October 13, 2008 5:18 PM
If you've got a need to show the neighborhood just how much of a nerd you really are, may we suggest the Cylon pumpkin kit?
It's basically just an LED array and will set you back about $18. Just don't confuse it with the plethora of Star Wars pumpkins
PhlooQ: Widgets
byMichael Baumert on October 13, 2008 10:54 AM
Our first iteration of the PhlooQ widget is here and we'd love you to comment (over at greatamericanstartup). In general, we'd attempted to translate the users' commitment to the event into a binary yes or no answer - but we're not clear if that's the right approach - perhaps we need to introduce a 'maybe' state?
Continue reading PhlooQ: Widgets.
Apple Can't Plug The Dam: Leaked MacBook + MacBook Pro Pics Surface
byMichael Baumert on October 13, 2008 10:26 AM
There's always a possibility that these could be faked, but given Apple's recent string of leaks (iPods, iPhone) it's a safe bet that Apple's new MacBook And MacBook Pro designs have been scooped.
enjoy.
Continue reading Apple Can't Plug The Dam: Leaked MacBook + MacBook Pro Pics Surface.
History Class 2.0: IBM and the Palace Museum Launch 'Virtual Forbidden City'
byMichael Baumert on October 11, 2008 12:38 PM
Here's an interesting mashup: Second Life meets the ancient Chinese forbidden city. It's a fully realized Interactive tour of the forbidden city and if you're interested all you need is a decent Internet connection and a PC running Windows, Mac OS X or Linux (sorry, no Xbox 360 or PS3 Versions available yet)
Procedural Content Creation
byMichael Baumert on October 11, 2008 12:31 PM
Here's a look at a pretty revolutionary approach to generating graphical content in a game engine - it's dubbed 'procedural content creation' and while the concept itself isn't new, utilizing it in a game engine (i.e. putting it into a practical application) is. Basically, graphical content is generated on demand through varying textures while keeping the base object static. It creates a much more dynamic environment and could lead to some pretty interesting applications.
Nokia Concept Phone
byMichael Baumert on October 10, 2008 8:11 PM
This new Nokia concept (from Yanko) promises to introduce the tactile feel to the touchscreen phone. Looks a little too much like a Matrix tool at this angle, but I'm sure it gets better. more pics after the jump.
Continue reading Nokia Concept Phone.
October 14th = New Macbooks Arrive
byMichael Baumert on October 9, 2008 9:22 AM
Engadget is reporting that Apple's town hall event in San Francisco next Tuesday will be used to unveil new notebooks. Rumor sites have been buzzing with this for a while, so it's not really a huge shock - but still... a rather exciting day for the cult of Mac.
PhlooQ: How The Widget Works Part II
byMichael Baumert on October 8, 2008 10:58 AM
From a publisher standpoint, the PhlooQ widget works as illustrated above. The event publisher sends updates through PhlooQ to the attendees who can view it via one of the three PhlooQ widgets: the mobile widget, the web-based widget or through Facebook.
Continue reading PhlooQ: How The Widget Works Part II.
PhlooQ: Interacting With The Widget
byMichael Baumert on October 8, 2008 10:10 AM
Here's a new iteration of our ongoing expression of how the PhlooQ widget would work.
In a nutshell, here's how it works: The widget is spawned by an event publisher and the user can invite or message members of his or her social graph as well as view users in the area of the event. The user also indicates their attendance at the event and can comment.
Paris Auto Show: The 14 Most Futuristic Dashboards
byMichael Baumert on October 6, 2008 4:16 PM
Over at jalopnik, they're celebrating the 14 most 'futuristic' dashboards as seen at the 2008 Paris auto show. They range from the bizarre to the expected.. We've got two more after the break but if you want all 14, by all means go to the source.
Continue reading Paris Auto Show: The 14 Most Futuristic Dashboards.
World's Tallest Skyscraper
byMichael Baumert on October 6, 2008 9:32 AM
Dubai is about to be home to the world's tallest skyscraper, the Nakheel Tower, which will tower above the city at nearly 3300 feet. Expect this 100-floor monster to break into the heavens in 8-10 years.
from gizmodo
PhlooQ: How It Works
byMichael Baumert on October 4, 2008 4:14 PM
It's time for another PhlooQ update, and this time we're focusing on what makes PhlooQ work. We've got three illustrations that capture, at a high level, what the widget is comprised of, how the user interacts with it and what the widget does in response to the user interaction.
At its core PhlooQ is quite simple (from a user interaction standpoint) but there is complexity which comes in what makes it tick and what it does below the surface.
Two more illustrations after the jump
Continue reading PhlooQ: How It Works.
Cool Footage: Slow Motion Shot Gun And Tank Firing
byMichael Baumert on October 4, 2008 12:00 PM
The awesome destructive power of a tank can perhaps best be expressed in 1/1000th of a second intervals as evidence by this footage. Originally found over at gizmodo, this weaponry is among the most feared in the modern artillery arsenal.
A cylindrical metal canister is filled with lead or iron balls and sawdust, used to firmly pack the metal balls while avoiding them to crowding each other when the cannon fires. Basically, this type of shell turns the large tank cannon into a giant shotgun. And like a shotgun, its destructive power at close range is now mostly used in urban warfare.
The Politics Of Video Games: Will Wright Gives To McCain, Rockstar To Obama
byMichael Baumert on October 3, 2008 12:28 PM
Ever wonder what the political leanings of your rockstar video game designers were? Well as gamepolitics reports, the lion's share of the contributions from gaming industry heavyweights has reached Obama's pockets with a few notable exceptions. The open question might be - did Will Wright donate in Simolians?
Microsoft Keeps The XP Party Going!
byMichael Baumert on October 3, 2008 10:46 AM
According to CNET, Microsoft has, yet again, extended the life of Windows XP and will continue to support the extremely popular operating system for a few more months. This is great news for angry users who want more reasons to mock Vista, not so great news for all those excited walk-ins waiting on Windows Mojave.
Chris Matthews Gets Rick-Rolled On Countdown
byMichael Baumert on October 3, 2008 7:47 AM
With the countdown clock reading :22, Chris Matthews of MSNBC's hardball (appearing on Oblermann's Countdown show) got himself a taste of 'rick roll justice' -- ouch.
from Fark
New Lotus S260 Does 0-60 in 4 Seconds, Weighs Less Than 2000 lbs.
byMichael Baumert on October 2, 2008 8:48 PM
Lotus certainly represents the future of the exotic car. Rather than adding displacement and cylinders to the performance equation, they elect to trim weight down and optimize smaller, more fuel efficient, Toyota-sourced engines. This latest take on the Exige is no exception as it puts out an astonishing supercharger-equipped 257 bhp. It's more than enough to turn this light weight club racer into a legitimate supercar as evidence by the video after the break.
Continue reading New Lotus S260 Does 0-60 in 4 Seconds, Weighs Less Than 2000 lbs..
Flickr's iPhone-Friendly Re-Design
byMichael Baumert on October 2, 2008 8:34 PM
As CNET reports, Flickr's mobile m.flickr service has become iPhone/Touch Friendly! This basically equates to a Flash-free experience optimized for the iPhone's 480x320 screen res. It basically looks just like a native Apple iPhone app.
PhlooQ Identity
byMichael Baumert on October 2, 2008 1:53 PM
Part of PlhooQ's coming out might be a new (or updated) Identity.. Or maybe not.. We've put together two options in addition to the original, and if you've got any ideas, please let us know - this should be a collaborative process
So here's what we were thinking
We asked a few friends and family what they thought of the existing PhlooQ logo (the gray and orange one) and while no one had anything overly negative to say about it just about everyone thought the company was pronounced "Floo Cue" not "Fluke". We thought de-emphasizing the Q might be the correct approach.
We spoke with David about this and he explained why there was a large "Q" there in the first place; it looks a bit like a magnifying glass - the now universally accepted symbol for 'search' and 'explore' so we played with making the "Q" a more literal magnifying glass.
So What Do you Think?
So, do you think we're heading down a good path here? Even if these new logo concepts aren't perfect, are they an improvement, and what could we do to evolve them even more?
Next Up: The new PhlooQ widget - stay tuned!
Also - since comments aren't working on our site yet (preview release!), register your thoughts at greatamericanstartup
Nintendo announces DSi, Content Store (Video)
byMichael Baumert on October 2, 2008 7:30 AM
Nintendo Announced today that the long-awaited and much rumored update to the DS was here. It's called the DSi and in addition to a few minor button and indicator light relocations it's got dual cameras on the inside and outside of the clamshell.
Web Coverage:
Nintendo DS Evolves Tomorrow
byMichael Baumert on October 1, 2008 6:38 PM
According to MCVUK Nintendo is unveiling an all new DS tomorrow. Rumors have swirled about the new DS, but its likely going to feature some form of multimedia functionality.
Ballmer To Industry: "Outlook Cloudy"
byMichael Baumert on October 1, 2008 3:35 PM
Engadget is reporting that Steve Ballmer will be unveiling a new 'Windows Cloud' Operating System at the MS Professional Developer's conference on the 27th. It's anyone's guess as to what, specifically this might end up being, we can't help but think it will bear more than a passing resemblance to MobileMe and GoogleDocs.. see our diagram after the break.
Continue reading Ballmer To Industry: "Outlook Cloudy".
In Home Mashup: Sink/Aquarium
byMichael Baumert on October 1, 2008 2:27 PM
From Gizmodo comes exciting word of a new hybrid technology which can, at long last, merge the home aquarium with the bathroom sink. It's the perfect solution for those mornings when you just can't quite get the day going without freaking out a goldfish.
