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Google, Earth
Jun. 28th, 2005 10:13 pmGoogle is offering a free satellite map program for Windows.
You can enter in an address, and it will fly you to it. Enter in another, and it will fly you there. It streams the images from the Google servers, so it's bandwidth heavy, but dear god almighty it's a helluva lot of fun.
Note that there's a tilt feature, so you can scope out elevation differences. Of course, that part only works for landscape right now, but there's still something thrilling about zooming across the bay....
You can enter in an address, and it will fly you to it. Enter in another, and it will fly you there. It streams the images from the Google servers, so it's bandwidth heavy, but dear god almighty it's a helluva lot of fun.
Note that there's a tilt feature, so you can scope out elevation differences. Of course, that part only works for landscape right now, but there's still something thrilling about zooming across the bay....
Wireless on AC Transit
Jun. 15th, 2005 04:03 pmWhether you take AC Transit Transbay buses or not, please please please visit their site and vote to get wireless Internet access added to their buses. This may be a pipe dream, but it's a good pipedream, dammit.
V'ger 1 Crosses the Termination Shock
May. 26th, 2005 08:30 amVoyager 1 reaches the edge of the solar system
'"VOYAGER 1 has entered the final lap of the race to interstellar space," exults Edward Stone. And this time he is sure that the spacecraft he helped launch nearly 30 years ago has finally reached the very fringes of our solar system.
Voyager 1 was supposed to have reached this milestone nearly three years ago but the evidence was inconclusive. Now it has officially crossed the "termination shock", the region where the speed of the solar wind drops abruptly from supersonic to subsonic, and has entered the shell of dense solar wind called the heliosheath that separates our solar system from interstellar space. "This is big news," says Eric Christian, the programme leader for Voyager 1 at NASA's headquarters in Washington DC.'
(Image shamelessly downloaded to avoid subscription issues later on.)
Countdown to Star Trek: The Motion Picture hasn't started yet, but we're getting closer....
'"VOYAGER 1 has entered the final lap of the race to interstellar space," exults Edward Stone. And this time he is sure that the spacecraft he helped launch nearly 30 years ago has finally reached the very fringes of our solar system.
Voyager 1 was supposed to have reached this milestone nearly three years ago but the evidence was inconclusive. Now it has officially crossed the "termination shock", the region where the speed of the solar wind drops abruptly from supersonic to subsonic, and has entered the shell of dense solar wind called the heliosheath that separates our solar system from interstellar space. "This is big news," says Eric Christian, the programme leader for Voyager 1 at NASA's headquarters in Washington DC.'
(Image shamelessly downloaded to avoid subscription issues later on.)
Countdown to Star Trek: The Motion Picture hasn't started yet, but we're getting closer....
Enter Your Spaceships
May. 16th, 2005 02:37 pmFrom Japan Today
MAEBASHI — An environment machinery maker has developed a robot that can be ridden and maneuvered like one in the animation series Mobile Suit Gundam, the company employee in charge of the development said Sunday.
The single-seat Land Walker robot, which is 3.4 meters high and weighs 1 ton, can be made to walk forward and backward or sideways at 1.5 kilometers per hour by operating four pedals, and to shoot sponge bullets from two air guns installed beside the cockpit, said Masaaki Nagumo of Sakakibara Kikai Co. based in the village of Shinto in Gunma Prefecture. Nagumo, 32, developed the product over two years almost all by himself as he wanted to develop a robot that could be driven and operated to move like Gundam. (Kyodo News)
MAEBASHI — An environment machinery maker has developed a robot that can be ridden and maneuvered like one in the animation series Mobile Suit Gundam, the company employee in charge of the development said Sunday.
The single-seat Land Walker robot, which is 3.4 meters high and weighs 1 ton, can be made to walk forward and backward or sideways at 1.5 kilometers per hour by operating four pedals, and to shoot sponge bullets from two air guns installed beside the cockpit, said Masaaki Nagumo of Sakakibara Kikai Co. based in the village of Shinto in Gunma Prefecture. Nagumo, 32, developed the product over two years almost all by himself as he wanted to develop a robot that could be driven and operated to move like Gundam. (Kyodo News)
Riddle of the Hour
May. 8th, 2005 04:34 pmIn trying to purchase a replacement battery for our cordless phone, I've unearthed one of the least impressive mysteries of the age. We want to buy a replacement battery for a Uniden phone.
Uniden will sell us one for $5, but will charge us $5 to ship it to us.
RadioShack carries the exact same battery, but charges $12.95 + tax.
BestBuy doesn't carry this battery, but will sell us an Energizer version that's compatible for $19.95.
(Sure, any number of flybynightbatteries.com websites will sell it to us for less overall, but I want security if this bugger fails.)
In what version of economics does any of this make sense? I understand that there are a gazillion battery types out there, so it's feasible that RadioShack and BestBuy are jacking the price to reflect keeping it in stock on the off chance that someone like me actually needs it, but at 2.25x and 4x? Yumping yiminee!
Uniden will sell us one for $5, but will charge us $5 to ship it to us.
RadioShack carries the exact same battery, but charges $12.95 + tax.
BestBuy doesn't carry this battery, but will sell us an Energizer version that's compatible for $19.95.
(Sure, any number of flybynightbatteries.com websites will sell it to us for less overall, but I want security if this bugger fails.)
In what version of economics does any of this make sense? I understand that there are a gazillion battery types out there, so it's feasible that RadioShack and BestBuy are jacking the price to reflect keeping it in stock on the off chance that someone like me actually needs it, but at 2.25x and 4x? Yumping yiminee!
Coming to a Headspace Near You
Apr. 25th, 2005 11:24 amFrom Yahoo News:
Inventor Creates Soundless Sound System
"It works by sending a focused beam of sound above the range of human hearing. When it lands on you, it seems like sound is coming from inside your head."
The military applications are astounding. "Scanners," anyone?
Inventor Creates Soundless Sound System
"It works by sending a focused beam of sound above the range of human hearing. When it lands on you, it seems like sound is coming from inside your head."
The military applications are astounding. "Scanners," anyone?
