Marks Techno Blog: August 2005

DVD won't cut it for some Xbox 360 games

DVD won't cut it for some Xbox 360 games

Impressive, but not unexpected. With the minimum requirements that Microsoft has set for Video and Sound you have to expect that the storage of the data will be immense.

FREE Rainbow Tables

FREE Rainbow Tables

And along the same lines, here is a demonstration of how security can fail, over time. Everything eventually falls to brute force and Moore's law doesn't help.

rootkit.com

rootkit.com

A good site with interesting information on what is becoming the Next Big Windows Problem (NBWP).

Burningbird » Human Nature

Burningbird » Human Nature

I think experience is a great teacher. If you haven't experienced this type of disaster, it is tough to judge how 'bad' it will be. Ask a lot of the 'hunker-down-holdouts' if they would do it again...they generally say "No!" The rest of the observatoin is dead on :)

People don't seem to realize (and by realize I mean actually 'get it' at a fundamental level) that the universe/nature/physics is totally uncaring. Go ahead little ape, swing your club...

Star Trek holodeck gets closer to reality

Star Trek holodeck gets closer to reality

To paraphrase Scott Adams, "the holo-deck...mans last invention".

Server start-up says Dell is too hot to be cheap | The Register

Server start-up says Dell is too hot to be cheap | The Register

Surprised? Not really. As n Intel only shop Dell is pretty much stuck with what they get. Hopefully few people do these sorts of comparisions. Otherwise all the sweetheart deals in the world won't keep your business afloat.

Design your own LEGO kit - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Design your own LEGO kit - Engadget - www.engadget.com

duuuuuude!

Have your PC games been remoted, yet?

Have your PC games been remoted, yet?

Since large-screen (and hi-def) TV's are getting way more common, this is actually a pretty important advance. Giving games the opportunity to utilize that 50+ inch TV is a huge jump in the game experience and allows you to crank up the resolution/detail as far as your hardware can keep up. For the hard-core gamers, this is a huge deal, but even the lower cost, entry level graphics cards have the hardware needed to drive this (or will).

Tropical Weather Information

Tropical Weather Information

Having lived through last hurricane seaon in central Florida, with a significant amount of impact to recover from, my heart goes out to the folks in Louisiana and Mississippi. This is not the kind of storm you 'hunker down' and weather, you leave. Come back later and pick up the pieces. Mother nature is a cold, hard bitch. If you have ever weathered even a moderate storm on the open sea in a small boat...you KNOW what I mean.

Eight CCTV cameras bust 'Mr Stupid' | The Register

Eight CCTV cameras bust 'Mr Stupid' | The Register

Less than brilliant criminals always make for good fodder.

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel

Cool!

Wired News: 'Bat-Bot' Sounds Out Surroundings

Wired News: 'Bat-Bot' Sounds Out Surroundings

...because it is a robot, duh.

Who needs virtual desktops when you have eight monitors? - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Who needs virtual desktops when you have eight monitors? - Engadget - www.engadget.com

S.w.e.e.t.

If my son sees this, I am in serious troube...

Indian outsourcing too expensive

Indian outsourcing too expensive

As soon as you start chasing only the bottom line...every penny counts.

I think that any company who pursued this avenue just for the reduction in fixed costs, probably didn't do enough research or give outsourcing enough thought.

Don't get me wrong, there are very good business reasons to outsource, but then there are very bad ones.

mini-itx.com - projects - bender case

mini-itx.com - projects - bender case

You don't have to be a Futurama fan to appreciate the amount of work that went into this.

Wolf Claw Type II Keyboard Review by ExtremeTech

Doctor Who transmats onto mobiles | The Register

Schneier on Security: The Kutztown 13

Schneier on Security: The Kutztown 13

Ahh, the details we didn't get from the media on this. In light of this information I don't see how anyone could fault the school for doing what it felt was needed to get their attention (if nothing else they did that).

Some measure of the blame still falls to the school for poor (incompetent) security methods.

The Doc Searls Weblog : Tuesday, August 23, 2005

The Doc Searls Weblog : Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Doc has some excellent commentary here, and flames/emotions aside this is spot on. Too often this topic (and, sadly many others) become all emotional and little rational.

The Bitfall aquadisplay - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Intel refuses gauntlet AMD throws down

Intel refuses gauntlet AMD throws down

No surprise here. AMD stood only to gain and Intel only to lose in such a match up. Even if Intel won, AMD wins on the publicity and Intel has to be highly uncertain of even that 'best case' scenario (I know AMD is).

The Tilt-A-Whirl Challenge :: AO

The Tilt-A-Whirl Challenge :: AO

It is good to see someone have an epiphany :)

TiVo Desktop version 2.2 officially out - Engadget - www.engadget.com

TiVo Desktop version 2.2 officially out - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Woo Hoo! Been looking for some of the unofficial features in this release. Now to make sure the system software is at 7.2...

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Who wants to own content?

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Who wants to own content?

Lengthy, but imminently read-worthy. Jeff Jarvis has distilled the dilemma down to the essentials.

TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home » Amazon offering short texts

TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home » Amazon offering short texts

This is cool (if you are into e-books at all). The price is right for the content size as well.

Another site that I frequent which offers some excellent pricing as well is Fictionwise eBooks: Free eBooks, eBooks for Palm, PocketPC, PC, & Mac

The 30-foot tall fire-breathing robot - Engadget - www.engadget.com

The 30-foot tall fire-breathing robot - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Just 'cause all 'bots are cool...

HP contemplates dumping the Itanium

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner - William Morrow, 2005

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner - William Morrow, 2005: "What most of these doomsday scenarios have gotten wrong is the fundamental idea of economics: people respond to incentives. If the price of a good goes up, people demand less of it, the companies that make it figure out how to make more of it, and everyone tries to figure out how to produce substitutes for it."

Sorry, I am in an economics lesson sort of a mood this morning. ANother really good read however.

Catastrophic Illusion in Washington :: AO

Catastrophic Illusion in Washington :: AO: "So there is this terrible misconception, this catastrophic illusion in Washington that somehow a trade gap is bad and implies indebtedness to foreigners—dangerous indebtedness to foreigners—and it is just a completely false view of the world that comes from an era when economies were separate and traded with one another across borders, and accounts were settled by clipper ships carrying gold across treacherous seas alluding pirates."

There is a snippet to pique your interest. The entire article is a good read.

Gizmodo Japan: Auto door : Gizmodo

Gizmodo Japan: Auto door : Gizmodo

Who would have thought they could build a better DOOR?

NASA to inventors: get your flying car on - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Plantraco’s Butterfly Livingroom flyer - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Plantraco’s Butterfly Livingroom flyer - Engadget - www.engadget.com

From park flyer to bedroom flyer...

Worms meet corporations in legal minefield

TechBlog: Suddenly, it's 1996 again

TechBlog: Suddenly, it's 1996 again

Is it? It doesn't feel quite the same, yet there is that undercurrent of 'something' about to happen. Tech companies are once again doing well (if not spectacular). Yet something is missing. Perhaps it is just cautious optimism :)

Wired News: NASA Launches Startups for Ships

“Printed” displays, produced cheaper than LCDs - Engadget - www.engadget.com

The hidden currents powering Intel's next gen chips

Daily Times - Site Edition

Daily Times - Site Edition: "The economic rationale for intellectual property is that faster innovation offsets the enormous costs of such inefficiencies. But it has become increasingly clear that excessively strong or badly formulated intellectual property rights may actually impede innovation – and not just by increasing the price of research."

iVac. - The Red Ferret Journal

iVac. - The Red Ferret Journal

The machines are rising...

World of Warcraft playing son busted by WoW playing mother

World of Warcraft playing son busted by WoW playing mother

Heh, heh...

Aint' technology a wonderful thang?

Sony announces dual-layer DVD burners

July price data shows mixed reading on inflation - Aug. 16, 2005

July price data shows mixed reading on inflation - Aug. 16, 2005

So how does this comment: "Yes, energy prices are still rising at a towering pace, but we continue to see little evidence of serious penetration of such price pressures into the overall economy"

Square with this: Wal-Mart posts higher profits, misses on sales - Aug. 16, 2005

You can't have it both ways. Perhaps the message is that up until NOW the penetration has not been far enough up the chain to matter, but any n00b can see that sustained for as long as they have been, it must begin to matter.

Irony with my Coffee

Irony with my Coffee

"you don't run an exposed Windows server by choice unless your Kung Fu is strong or your pair drags when you walk"

Crap Towns | Crap Jobs | Crap Holidays » Camping in Findhorn, Scotland

Crap Towns | Crap Jobs | Crap Holidays » Camping in Findhorn, Scotland

A little lighter fare.

Stuart Ross Rocketbelt :: Peroxide Propulsion

Stuart Ross Rocketbelt :: Peroxide Propulsion

Well, it isn't a flyiing car and it isn't quite ready for prime-time yet, but dang-me-to-heck if it isn't cool.

Transfer video to your TiVo - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Transfer video to your TiVo - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Kinda cool? No, this is the one missing feature in the TivoDesktop group.

Business 2.0 :: Magazine Article :: What's Next :: Free Wi-Fi? Get Ready for GoogleNet.

Business 2.0 :: Magazine Article :: What's Next :: Free Wi-Fi? Get Ready for GoogleNet.

Damn. That is about all I can say to that idea...

AMDZone :: The real #1 source for AMD news, reviews, and info. Est 1998.

AMDZone :: The real #1 source for AMD news, reviews, and info. Est 1998.: "Switching to dedicated physics cards like the ones Ageia is working on he felt that they will not have an impact on gameplay that is significant. He is not a proponent of the technology. More GPU power he wants, but again more physics power for realistic physics with stuff like better smoke is not something he is interested in. While he believes some cool things could be done with it, but gameplay is clearly king with Mr. Carmack. He believes that it will slow down games similiar to what early GPUs did actually running slower than software due to decreasing actual wall clock times. 3dfx was the first to conquer that problem with GPUs where quality and performance were both enhanced."

John Carmack is THE person in the industry to talk to for foward thinking. I find it disappointing that he feels so ambivalent towards the physics co-processors, as a geek I was really neated out by the concept. His opinion is more practical and (no doubt) based more in the industry reality.

Intel confirms Paxville rabbit pulled out of hat

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Who shot .com?

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Who shot .com?

This is a most interesting approach to book writing. I'd say it was a novel concept, but that would be really bad ;)

This bears some watching to see how well it catches on.

Silicon-Eyeing Moore's Law :: AO

Silicon-Eyeing Moore's Law :: AO

"You should have called it the "bionic eye," because that is what it sounds like."

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day: "To reiterate my own idea along these lines: Technology changes how we do things, it doesn't change what we do. People become enamored with the novelty of a new how and mistake it for a new what, which begets myths of 'changing the world.'"

The only thing I would add to this is that sometimes, just sometimes, technology does open the possibilities to do new 'things'. Probably David would argue that this is really just doing old 'things' in a new way and there is some elements of truth in that (if you distill the 'things' down to their most basic elements then this is absolutely true and "there is no new thing under the sun").

WSJ.com - Real Time

WSJ.com - Real Time: "Where'd the future go?

You remember it, don't you? It's the one with moon bases and intrepid Mars colonists and asteroid miners, with spaceports and space elevators and sprawling habitations up at the Lagrange points. The one we read about when we were kids, the one written about by the likes of Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein, with thrilling chronologies that had us on Mars or beyond by now, or at least heading that way.

You know, the future."

Beer is really good for you, scientists say

Beer is really good for you, scientists say

Show yourself a little love!

Intel's next generation processors revealed

Intel's next generation processors revealed

While Intel is finally responding to the AMD engineering challenge, it will take a while to get these to market and (if they are smart) AMD will not beresting on their laurels.

Dual core Opteron notebook tips up

A Stock in Search of an Investment Thesis

Exclusive pics of TiVo Download - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Exclusive pics of TiVo Download - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Perhaps Tivo is starting to get their legs under them. While this initially isn't earth-shattering, it does offer the potential for a lot of fun stuff.

I just got around to moving all of the computers off of depending on wireless back to hardwired yesterday. I still have wireless covereage (for the patop and handheld devices, mostly) it is just that the desktop machines are all back to hardwired courtesy of hurrcane Charely allowing me to rewire my house.

As a part of this I finally put the two Tivo units on the network and installed the Tivo Dektop software to play with.

S.W.E.E.T.

This is cool stuff. Being able to move videos around (Tivo to Tivo o Tivo to computer, even Tivo to computer to handheld) along with the many other features is just nifty.

SubjuGator takes top honors in 8th Annual AUV competition - Engadget - www.engadget.com

SubjuGator takes top honors in 8th Annual AUV competition - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Robotic goodness.

Microsoft’s closing and locking Xbox 360 peripherals - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Microsoft’s closing and locking Xbox 360 peripherals - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Inevitable. Had. to. happen. The DMCA actually makes this type of behavior right.

Major hole in Windows needs immediate attention

Comics and Editorial Cartoons: Dilbert on Yahoo! News

Comics and Editorial Cartoons: Dilbert on Yahoo! News

Oh yeah...

Tom's Hardware Guide: Tom's Hard News

Tom's Hardware Guide: Tom's Hard News

There is no way to permanently secure digital content.
Not now and not likely in the future. All you can do is delay it.

NY radio station fined $240k for female 'Smackfest' | The Register

How papyrus can safeguard nuclear waste | The Register

How papyrus can safeguard nuclear waste | The Register

If only they include a Rosetta Stone so that future folk can translate it...

The Spinybot climbs walls - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Robots to offer Japan's elderly new lease on life - Aging - MSNBC.com

Tom's Hardware Guide Games & Entertainment: Holiday Season Game Preview 2005 - Holiday Season Preview 2005

Tom's Hardware Guide Games & Entertainment: Holiday Season Game Preview 2005 - Holiday Season Preview 2005

Some sweet looking games on the near event horizon.

The Doc Searls Weblog : Monday, August 8, 2005

The Doc Searls Weblog

Doc has a link to this: HowToons which is way cool.

The iPhantom transparent VPN-tunneling proxy - Engadget - www.engadget.com

The iPhantom transparent VPN-tunneling proxy - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Cool. Certainly a cheaper colution than going with say a Cisco VPN solution (1/2 hardware, 1/2 software and 9/10ths MONEY).

Jinxed computer users curse themselves

Jinxed computer users curse themselves

Duh. Like we didn't KNOW that already ;)

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Media no more

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Media no more

Always entertaining, Jeff Jarvis has some interesting insights into the "new" (new) media. By and large I agree with his thesis and would only add that fiction must find new outlets as well. I find myself more and more often looking specifically for electronic versions of texts. Those who are getting my money are the ones providing that outlet. The good news is that more publishers now do, but the bad news is actually finding the titles.

Sometimes you can go to Amazon, but if that fails it can be a bit of a snipe hunt (eReader.com is not bad). Googling for the ISBN can help (a bit) also. I think that e-texts still have to find their pricing sweet spot. I have paid as much for an eBook as a print version, but I don't feel comfortable at that price--feels a bit like highway robbery actually. Face it, the traditional costs of the publishing are far less in that format (PAPER...) so the actual costs to deliver should be less as well.

Wired 13.08: U2's City of Blinding Lights

Wired 13.08: U2's City of Blinding Lights

If anyone is qualified to write about popular culture, I'd say he is.

(yes THAT William Gibson).

Cisco hit by hackers

MAKE: Blog: CVS camcorder usably hacked!

Sand in the Gears

Sand in the Gears:

"Finally, I saw this sign in the cafeteria in my building: 'Satisfaction Guarantee: If you aren't 100% satisfied, please speak to a manager.' So let me get this straight: if I'm not 100 percent satisfied, then the 'guarantee' is that I can speak to a manager? Who needs a guarantee for that? If I really want to talk to the manager, I can jump up on a table and pee in the wax geraniums. Now that's guaranteed to draw a manager."

Cyranet Greeting Cards | Saying what you think, with the wit you don't have

Cyranet Greeting Cards | Saying what you think, with the wit you don't have:

"Happy Birthday. I have adopted a Somali child in your name. He will be arriving shortly."

"Thinking of you. Not all the time, but you're in the rotation."

These guys have some really cute e-cards...

TiVo launches banner ads: less obtrusive? - Engadget - www.engadget.com

TiVo launches banner ads: less obtrusive? - Engadget - www.engadget.com

This is a case of not understanding your market, or at best being slightly confused about what your market is. Do they have a flawed business model?

Microsoft Vista creates DRM insanity

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Dump the dump button

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Dump the dump button

Mind you, I am not a fan of Howard Stern, BUT I am a fan of free speech. Change...the...damn...channel.

Joel on Software - Hitting the High Notes

Joel on Software - Hitting the High Notes

Well said, never better in fact.

Car audio Bluetooth hijack - TechSpot News

Car audio Bluetooth hijack - TechSpot News

Security. It is a frame of mind.

In the rush to add the latest coolness we often lose our sense of perspective.

Global American Technologies’ Fio MP3 sunglasses - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Global American Technologies’ Fio MP3 sunglasses - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Oh, Gordy would be SOOO proud.

New York Times integrates print and online journalism

New York Times integrates print and online journalism

Is this an upcoming trend? Jeff Jarvis has a comment about it as well over at The BuzzMachine although he is a little more restrianed. Are we finally broaching into the business reality that people are just as likely to look online for news (and entertainment) as they are with traditional media? SHould this be a surprise to anyone reading this?

PlayStation 3 price tag won't hurt sales

PlayStation 3 price tag won't hurt sales: "With a spring in my step and a gleam in my eye I was off to Tottenham Court Rd. I was all ready to fork out £800 for 'the next big thing' until my loving wife slapped me like a salmon and confiscated my piggy bank."

Ah, the sign of an experienced marriage :)

Colani Design Germany - Ausstellung Karlsruhe - Das Gesamtwerk

Colani Design Germany - Ausstellung Karlsruhe - Das Gesamtwerk

And now for something...completely different.

The Red Ferret Journal

SUMO Bots

on a plate...

The TIV: homebrewed armored stormchaser - Engadget - www.engadget.com

The TIV: homebrewed armored stormchaser - Engadget - www.engadget.com

What RedNeck (tm) wouldn't want one of these?

Florida Weather Observations and Forecasts

Florida Weather Observations and Forecasts

This from the awesome folks who bring us http://www.crownweather.com

Excite News

Mystery tree planter strikes again

The fiend! Those things can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

Fantasy’s darkest arts make for a bestseller - Newspaper Edition - Times Online

Fantasy’s darkest arts make for a bestseller - Newspaper Edition - Times Online

Ow! Them is sharp words (considering the source).

The 11th Annual International Fire Fighting Robot Contest - Engadget - www.engadget.com

The 11th Annual International Fire Fighting Robot Contest - Engadget - www.engadget.com

More bot madness :)

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | TV and Radio | Doctor Who named top fantasy show

CNN.com - Study: Hurricanes getting stronger - Jul 31, 2005

CNN.com - Study: Hurricanes getting stronger - Jul 31, 2005

Can we lay this only at the feet of global warming or is this just a long cycle for which we are now seeing an upswing? f this is global warming in action it could be one of the first directly attributable negatives...

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Wednesday, August 31, 2005