Friday, October 30, 2009

Wingman Has The YIPS for eBooks



==========================

Wingman Has The YIPS for eBooks

and other HARDware

==========================

With a Nod to an episode of

Sean of the De
ad-Pan on

USA's Psych.

Season 4 continues in January

--------------------------------------------------------------


MC2 Blog: eBooks. eBooks, eBooks, eBooks...YIPS!

====================================

====================================

GrayMatter:

==========
Sony Reader
==========

TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/yfgcv8h

Reader Touch Edition

$299.99

Reader Pocket Edition

$199.99

Reader Daily Edition
Coming Soon.

===================

========
Kindle 2
========

Kindle Wireless Reading Device

(6" Display, U.S. & International Wireless, Latest Generation)

$259.00

TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/yjvwswl

=========
Kindle DX
=========

Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display,
U.S. Wireless, Latest Generation)
$489.00


(PVI)
The company that makes the panels for Sony and Amazon.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Color Corridor:

-----------------
Samsung 2011
------------------

-------------------
PVI
-------------------

(Sony, Kindle Displays)

2010

-------------------------
Plastic Logic Reader
-------------------------

(spring 2010)

$299.00

------------------------
Bridgestone Reader
------------------------
(yes, the Tire Maker)

---------------------
QRLPD
---------------------
It's Flexible???

Link: http://www.dipnip.com/2009/10/flexible-ebook-reader-developed-
tiremaker-bridgestone-readers/


--------------------------
Pixel Qi (this year?)
--------------------------

Link: http://www.pixelqi.com/

Link: http://tinyurl.com/ldwnnd


===============================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In The UK:

A few forward-thinking libraries in the UK have started offering ebook downloads as

an alternative to borrowing physical copies of books, and the local public's reaction

has been one of overwhelming enthusiasm.

Brits have been eagerly joining up to the new scheme. Free downloads that last for 14

days before self-deleting can be had either in the library or at home, and transitioned

onto your Sony Reader, iRex iLiad, or that new hotness, B&N's nook.

Naturally, the proprietary-format Kindle isn't invited to this party. We've already seen

a similar initiative in the USA, and can only hope this kind of convenience becomes

mainstream before too long.

--------------------------------------------------

The only thing better than unannounced functionality is an automatic, surprise

refund on your purchase. With the international version of Amazon's 6-inch Kindle

you get both. Several readers who ordered the $279 international Kindle have received

the following email:

Good news! Due to strong customer demand for our newest Kindle with U.S. and

international wireless, we are consolidating our family of 6" Kindles. As part of this

consolidation, we are lowering the price of the Kindle you just purchased from $279

down to $259.

You don't need to do anything to get the lower price--we are automatically

issuing you a $20 refund.

This refund should be processed in the next few days and will

appear as a credit on your next billing statement.

==============================

By "strong customer demand" we assume that Amazon means "we're trying to stay

competitive with the $259 Barnes and Noble Nook," but that's just a hunch. A

hands-on at the Gadget Lab also reveals the inclusion of web browsing thought to

have been disabled.

For the most part it is disabled but Amazon does let you browse to the English

version of Wikipedia and nowhere else. The hands-on also notes "dead slow" 3G

performance and Amazon's decision to ship the international Kindle with a US power

plug regardless of destination. Weird.

-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------


Link to Tom's Hardware and DVD Players:




----------------------------------------------------------

Wingman and MC2 is Now on

Tumblr.Com


Link: http://mediacircus2.tumblr.com/



----------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Can Koala Be A Window's 7 Killer?


MC2 Blog: Can Koala Be A Window's 7 Killer?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ubuntu's Karmic Koala

bares fangs at Windows 7


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

From The Register:

Review Ubuntu 9.10 - aka Karmic Koala - is taking the fight to Microsoft and its new Windows 7 operating system.

The Koala - due for its official release today - brings faster boot times, a

revamped
software installer, better disk encryption, online services,

and quite a bit more to the
popular Linux desktop.



========================================
========================================

Wingman,

Fast NEWS:

Costco begins accepting Food Stamps.

Link: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20091029_Costco_will_begin_accepting_food_stamps.html

Walmart Begins Selling Coffins Online.

Reaping discounts
Wal-Mart has started selling coffins on its Web site. The move follows a similar one by rival Costco. Wal-Mart put up about 15 caskets and dozens of urns on its Web site last week, at prices from $999 for steel caskets to the Sienna Bronze Casket,
which sells for $3,199

Scary shopping

Sears says it will offer what it calls “Black Friday doorbuster” deals beginning this Friday, nearly a month before the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving sales. Sears says the offers will rotate each week and be available 7 a.m.-noon each Saturday. However, it’s kicking off the effort with a special markdown this Friday. Experts say Sears’ decision to start the sales nearly a month in advance shows just how worried retailers are about what’s expected to be a grim holiday season.

These Stories and More At:

http://economy.kansascity.com/?q=node/4536

========================================
========================================

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

50Mbps Service Over Fiber Optic Cable




50Mbps service

over fiber optic cable


to Residents of Monticello, Minnesota.



The Minneapolis suburb became one of the
few non-FiOS communities in the country to
experience full fiber-to-the-home deployment,
and subscribers will all receive a free

upgrade from 25Mbps service to the new 50Mbps tier.

Even better is the price, which starts at $49.95 a month

for 50Mbps fiber service without the need to buy other services.






Read How They Did It At ArsTechica Article

"Want 50Mbps Internet in your town?
Threaten to roll out your own"

Linked Here:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/want-50mbps-internet-in-your-town-threaten-to-roll-out-your-own.ars?
utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss



=========================================

Filed Under:

It Can Be Done, When Push Comes to Shove...
=========================================

Wingman.

======================================

Looking For A Teraflop supercomputer?

Asustek teams with Nvidia on 1.1 Teraflop supercomputer

Link: http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/article/323713

======================================

ExtremeTech:

Intel's Larrabee: The CPU and GPU, Together at Last

Link:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2354806,00.asp?
kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532


======================================
======================================

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

MC2 Blog: McDonald's Gets Iced




McDonald Closes it's three outlets in Iceland

due to the Economy troubles in


the country.


To Survive McDonald's would have to charge the most

for a Big Mac than anywhere else in the World.


From the Belfast Telegraph:

Costs had doubled over the past year because of the fall in the krona and

high import tariffs on imported goods, Mr Ogmundsson said,

making it
impossible for the company to raise prices further and

remain competitive
with rivals using locally-sourced produce.

A Big Mac in Reykjavik already costs £3.25. But the 20% increase

needed
to make a decent profit would have pushed that

to £3.90,

making the
Icelandic version of the burger

the most expensive in the world,

Mr
Ogmundsson said.

That title is currently held jointly by Switzerland and Norway where it

costs
£3.53, according to

The Economist magazine's 2009 Big Mac index.


Read more



======================================
======================================

Wingman, Eating Out...

Clipper's can't get a break (Pun Not Intended).

Top Draft Pick for the Clips has a Broken Knee Cap.

Meanwhile, Lakers Get Their Championship Rings

Before Tonight's Game with The Clippers

At Staples Center at 7:30 p.m.

======================================
======================================








Monday, October 26, 2009

Post 501: I Can Hear You Benson...

I Can Hear You???

============================

Hotspot Sniffer App on iPhone

can eavesdrop conversations


Link: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/23/iphone_voip_sniffing_made_easy/

=============================

For more than a year, UCSniff has provided everything a hacker needs

to plug a
laptop into a network and within seconds begin intercepting

VoIP transmissions.

But
until now, the program has allowed eavesdroppers to

reassemble the conversations
only after they were concluded, a limitation

that was far from the elite bugging
capabilities shown in

Mission Impossible and other spy thrillers.


=============================

Wingman, What did you expect?

=============================
=============================

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Post 500: Sunday Morning and The Corny Dogs of Texas

The Corny Dogs of Texas
(From a Story on CBS Sunday)
Or Deep-Fried What????




=============================

The Corny Dogs of Texas


(From a Story on CBS Sunday)

Or Deep-Frie
d What????


Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/23/sunday/main5415535.shtml


Even Though the Main Focus of Sunday Morning

was on Fitness.


(They had a lead with Valerie Bertinelli's

Transformation to a Size "WoW").





The Finish Line was an Uphill Climb to Fatty Land and All the Wonders

of Deep-Fried
Largress At A Texas's State Fairgrounds.


There’s a good chance that Valerie Bertinelli has sworn off the food

you’ll find at the State Fair of Texas.

It's the place where the classic battered and fried

"Corny Dog" was invented in 1942.


And to this day, the fair remains on the frontier of fried food.

Vendors compete to see who can

create the most egregious violation of dietary law.

Artery-clogging creations like fried cookie


dough, fried peaches and cream, and

fried Coke are just part of the fare.

This year, Abel Gonzales Jr. unveils his masterpiece

- fried butter. Yes, fried butter!


Bill Geist eats his way


Bill Geist eats his way

through this Capital

of Deep-Fried Food.






=============================
=============================

Recap of the Stories after being Sized Down with TinyURL:

http://tinyurl.com/yj3vydk

=============================
=============================






October 25, 2009 4:00 AM PDT

Apple punts on lower-cost MacBook

by Brooke Crothers

At CNET.

=============================

As Low As Apple Will Go?

$999.00

=============================

Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10382624-64.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

=============================

Wingman, Looking for the Kitchen....

=============================
=============================

Friday, October 23, 2009

Security: Javascript and Plugins, From Bad to Worse...

Make Sure Your Firefox Plugins Are Up To Date!







A New Windows OS is Out in the Wild Again and No Better Time To

Warn About The Known Problems
ALL Browsers have with SECURITY.


As Steve Gibson reminded Us about a couple of weeks ago in

Security Now Podcast #sn217





While you're at it You might want to Check This Week's Show #sn219


You'll be glad you did...

Trust Me.


Wingman


By the way, Steve's latest Blog came about from an upcoming interview with

John Graham Cummings, the man who wrote "The Geek Atlas".



And Cumming's Blog at: http://www.jgc.org/blog/

has some interesting things to say about problems with Scripting in

Browsers.


Check IT Out.

==============================
==============================

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Apple Got GUTS


Apple New 27" iMac

Link: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/10/21/apples_new_27_inch_imac_designed_to_also_work_as_a_display.html


But What's It Got Inside?

Glad You Asked, because iFixit Tore into One Just to see what's On

The Inside?


The Answer: Plenty!




iMac Intel 27" Teardown at WWW.IFIXIT.COM

Link: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iMac-Intel-27-Inch/1236/1

=============================================
=============================================

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Apple New Mouse is Very Touchy.



Apple New Mouse is Very Touchy.


Link:
http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/apples-touching-new-mouse/

Apple Link: http://www.apple.com/magicmouse/




They Say it's Magic, until you try to use it...

It does have a Learning Curve beside its ergonomic design...


Wingman, Apple Still Has it, Though.

============================
============================

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

It's Good Being KING...

Apple's profit climbs 47% in its

'most profitable quarter ever'



Its earnings of $1.67 billion far exceed analysts' expectations.

The increase is fueled by brisk back-to-school sales of the company's

MacBook computers and the continued popularity of its iPhone.


Apple Store

Engadget Link: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/apple-reports-fiscal-q4-earnings-1-67b-profit-mac-sales-way-u/

Wingman, Google Numbers also had a strong showing and Apple will be showing off some new Goodies Today, "for Goodness Sake...".

Quick Shots:

Here's a Quick Picture of a New Canon Camera


Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera...

Check these numbers out:

16.1 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor

ISO range of 100 to 12,800 native, up to 102,400

45-point area customizable autofocus

1080p HD Video

and an Optional WFT-E2 IIA wireless trasnmitter for connectivity over 802.11a/b/g

and ethernet.

Launch date December,

at $4,999 bucks for the Body.


Whoa!


Link: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/canon-eos-1d-mark-iv-announced-16-1-megapixels-45-point-autofo/#continued



and a possible replacement for LCD Displays from Samsung and Tmos.






Samsung and Uni-Pixel team up for

better, cheaper TMOS displays


Link: http://www.oled-info.com/efficient-and-cheap-tmos-mems-film-displays-be-available-next-year


=============================================
=============================================









Monday, October 19, 2009

Hardware Scope: Meet Alex, The Dual Screen Android eBook...




======================================

Meet Alex, The Dual Screen

Android eBook...



Link: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/spring-design-alex-dual-screen-android-based-e-reader/


======================================
======================================





Plastic Logic teases QUE proReader with

8.5 x 11-inch touchscreen


Coming in January 2010.




======================================
======================================





Is This The HTC Android/Dragon phone?

Link: http://theunlockr.com/2009/10/16/what-new-htc-android-phone-is-this/

======================================
======================================




Plantronics DSP400 Foldable Multimedia Headset

Used on TWiT for Skype Calls.

At Amazon.com: $41.24

======================================
======================================

Wingman, Waiting on Windows 7, Tomorrow Release Date.

October 22, 2009.

======================================
======================================


Saturday, October 17, 2009

MS Plug-in Puts Firefox Users At Risk

==================================

From ComputerWorld Security:

MS Plug-in Puts Firefox Users

At Risk



They Don't Just Screw-Up their

Own Browsers, you know..


==================================

Link:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139459/Sneaky_Microsoft_plug_in_puts_Firefox_users_at_risk

==================================


"While the vulnerability is in an IE component, there is an attack vector for Firefox users as well," admitted

Microsoft engineers in a post to the company's Security Research & Defense blog on Tuesday. "The reason is

that .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 installs a 'Windows Presentation Foundation' plug-in in Firefox."

From The ComputerWorld Article...

==================================

Let's Go To the

Bright SIDE of TECH NEWS


==================================

70 Free Useful Portable Applications

You Should Know


Portable APPS are applications you can run from a USB Flash Drive

WITHOUT Installing...


==================================

Wingman, signing Out.

==================================
==================================



MS Plug-in Puts Firefox Users At Risk

==================================

From ComputerWorld Security:

MS Plug-in Puts Firefox Users At Risk

==================================

Link:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139459/Sneaky_Microsoft_plug_in_puts_Firefox_users_at_risk

==================================

Friday, October 16, 2009

Post 492: New 250GB Playstation 3






=================================

New 250GB Playstation 3

Arrives Nov. 3.

Link:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/10/new-250gb-playstation-3-system-
available-november-3/

=================================

Kinda like Coverflow on iPhone.

Now This Looks Sweet!


Come Cydia, You can DO IT!


Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/oceanobservations#p/u
=================================



10GUI

A New User Interface From ClayMill Link: http://10gui.com




Wingman, With a New Digital Camera Form-Factor...


======================
======================

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Let the Games Begin--LA Style!




======================

Let the Games Begin

--LA Style!
======================

AMD Or Intel: Which $100

Gaming CPU Should You Buy?



======================================

Best prices for tested products

Athlon II X4 620 Quad Core Processor Newegg.com $99.00

Phenom II X3 710 Triple Core Processor Amazon.com $128.08
(2.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 3x 512KB L2 Cache, 1800 MHz Bus, Socket AM3)

Phenom II X2 550 Dual Core Processor Newegg.com $102.00
(3.1GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 2x512KB L 2 Cache, 2000MHz Bus, Socket AM3)

P5QPL-VM LGA775 ICH7 Directron $74.99

=================================
=================================


Karrem on Jeopardy

TONIGHT?


==================================
==================================


SL Rams Not For Limbaugh

================================
================================


Dodgers Take Next Step

Toward World Series

Tonight in LA.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Post 490: Is It SAFE???



===============

Is it Safe?

===============
Marathon Man Link:

TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/yknyrxx


If You Think That Line from the Movie Marathom Man

Was Scary, Wait til You Hear

Steve Gibson talk about

A Major Flaw in the Way

All Browsers Work

===============




October 8th, 2009

Security Now 217: The Broken Browser Model

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Alex Lindsay

Listen to the MUST HEAR Podcast at

This Web Address:
http://twit.tv/sn



Wingman, be warned, It IS Scary...

========================
========================


Monday, October 12, 2009

Post 488 Super NES MOD and Holo Masks




====================

Super NES Mod.

Link: http://www.8bitfix.com/forum/topics/portable-nes-cartrige-system

====================



Top Ten Masks for Halloween???


Others think the Ponzi Mask should be Up There...

Scary, but I Don't Think So...

Wingman,

=====================
=====================






Sunday, October 11, 2009

A Story of Thirds.



A Story of Thirds


I Watched the third episodes of a number of shows this weekend.

The Third
Medium. The Third Flash Forward. The Third Star Gate Universe, and the Third Heroes.

Yeah that's
4 Thirds...

And Yes, I plan to see the animated feature
9.

I Did my Third New S
ystem Backup this weekend...

It Took Four DVD's.


4 Thirds:

The Dodgers threw in a A National League Division Series sweep, accomplished on the strength of dominant starting pitching, no less, outfitted the Dodgers' long-range October prospects with some exclamation points.

Link: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?
ymd=20091010&content_id=7420644&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

TinyURL Link: http://tinyurl.com/yktmfuj

They Won 3 Straight Games to advance,

after the turmoil of getting there.


==============================

My Anniversary was this weekend too.

Number?

You guessed it: 43

==============================

Chewing on Numbers because of the Book: The Wisdom of Crowds that has taken my fancy lately.

I've always held to the belief that random numbers are Really not that
Random.

And
Chaos, deep inside, has a Pattern.


How else can you explain Fractals,

pictured below.



Fractal Image

The Search for this picture lead me to this interesting Blog that just happened to be talking about them (fractals) and a documentary about them with Arthur C Clarke.
================================

Maybe you haven't heard the story of the Ham operator living in an apartment building and hanging a way-too-big antenna outside his apartment window.

The landlord complained and told him to take it down. Which he did.

But by chance
this individual was also a college student and happened to attend a lecture about Fractals that gave him an Idea.

What if he made a smalle
r antenna shaped like the repeating pattern found in a fractal.

The smaller, less noticeable antenna worked better than the big one.


Fast forward to the antenna problems of early Cell Phones, where they picked up too many confusing signals.

They needed a different antenna for each signal.

A Cell phone that looked like a porcupine was
not going to become The Next Big Thing.

Change the regular shaped antenna to a minuturized fractal shaped
one and the problem went away.

Again, looking for a good Fractal Picture lead me to this wonderful site on Fractals:



Fractal Tree PIX.


===========================================


Wingman, the Wonder is In the Details...

===============================
===============================

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Now That's a Big FOOT! And a Little One...



============================

Now That's a Big FOOT!

From Science Daily-

Largest Dinosaur Footprints

Ever Found

Discovered Near Lyon, France


Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009132928.htm

===============================
===============================




Rare Footprints of Infant Dinosaur

found in Denver in 2007.


Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070525095813.htm

============================
============================

Wingman, checking Footprints, Large and Small.





Just saw some Sweet 3D CGI in the movie "9",

hence the Video Bar Link to:

How-To Draw 3D Meshes in
Blender, an excellent 3D Creation Program that is available in Most Distros of Linux

============================
============================

Thursday, October 08, 2009

We're Off to See the Wizard



We're Off to See the Wizard


10/8/09 43 years Later...

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Graphical Blog Today





A New Graphical Representation

of the Periodic Table

From Technology Review--


Link: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/24204/


==================================
==================================



Google Does it Again...

Invention of the Bar Code

Google Goes Plain Jane with a Bar Code instead of their name

to announce the Invention of the Ubiquitous Bar Code.


==================================















.




$940,000,000 Bucks??



Wingman, Checking it Out...

==================================
==================================