April 03, 2007
Twitter: Fad or Rad?
I heard about Twitter on Future Tense last week, but it kind of went in one ear and out the other. Surprising, since I'm a known social-networking whore. If you build it, I will sign up. Then my husband, Mr. Anti-Social Networking himself signed up for Twitter yesterday. So I had no choice.
Then the husband got me going on this rad Google mashup that scrolls around the world displaying the latest tweets. Mesmerizing. Just sit and watch the world tweet!
I tweet from an easy little (Mac) desktop app.
But, the question remains: What's the point? The NY Times is using this to "tweet" the latest headlines. But, is it just yet another distraction on top of my ever-refreshing inbox and IM? Dunno yet. Jury's still out.
Posted by Meghan at 12:07 PM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2006
Support your favorite independent blogs & websites - give a penny for their thoughts
INDIEKARMA is a user-driven support network. With an indieKarma account, you can directly support the independent voices on the web you enjoy.
How does this work? Easy. Join the indieKarma network and add one dollar to your account (for the first 5000 accounts, this dollar is free).
Each time you visit a website or blog on the indieKarma network, your account is seamlessly debited just one cent. It's the smallest of micro-payments, directly supporting the blog or website you're enjoying.
More on IndieKarma at this Kottke link.
Posted by Chuck at 08:49 PM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2006
newstendo
As reported by just about everybody, Nintendo has announced a new slimmer version of their popular DS handheld gaming system. The system is supposed to be two-thirds the size of the original.
I personally think the DS has been the best gaming platform released in the last couple of years, and eagerly await the new Tetris DS (along with the Revolution, which should be interesting).
Posted by Martin at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2005
Firefox 1.5 Released
In keeping with our pro-Firefox stance, I'm pleased to announce that Firefox has released version 1.5. A more detailed feature listing is also available. I've been using it for about 10 minutes and like it already. It supports the ability to clear HTTP Auth information, reordering of tabs, and all sorts of UI niceties.
In addition, Firefox supports the CSS3 multi-column module—tasty!
Posted by Matt at 11:51 PM | Comments (0)
August 16, 2005
Hm, how can I get a pun about Bush into this post?
So the Bush administration opposes the creation of a .xxx domain.
Right wing think tanks claim that this will not reduce the amount of porn available online. Duh. NOTHING WILL. Never underestimate the human desire to distribute naked pictures of other humans! What is always the first industry to adopt and adapt new technologies? Porn! That's how it's been since the dawn of time, so get over it. At least with a .xxx domain libraries, public terminals and private users could block SOME of the content they don't want. Sure, they can't block all of it, but it's also damn near impossible to block all junk mail from coming to my house. Know what I do? I DON'T LOOK AT IT.
Can't we at least agree that this is a step in the right direction? Or is having a specific suffix for pornographers so much worse than having pornographers squatting on sites like whitehouse.com?
Posted by Meghan at 12:01 PM | Comments (1)
June 23, 2005
the power in ordinary life
This morning I'm excited for two reasons: 1) I've consumed too much coffee and 2) today the StoryCorps MobileBooth rolls up to Peavey Plaza, on the Nicollet Mall, and will be parked there through July 11th.
StoryCorps is about giving regular people an opportunity and a place to interview each other and share their experience, their stories and their knowledge.
That's much of what I love about blogging (text, audio, photo and video), and programs like This American Life. The immediacy of connecting with everyday people. People like us (and not). Last year Minnesota Public Radio came up with their own way to tap into this collective stream of consciousness, which they've dubbed "Public Insight Journalism" - the centerpiece of which is the Public Insight Network, a group of thousands of Minnesotans who have agreed to help MPR cover the news.
Join up with them here. Or find out how to record a StoryCorps interview here. Or make audio posts from your phone here. Or find out how to start vlogging here. The possibilities are endless...
Posted by Sharyn at 09:04 AM | Comments (0)
June 17, 2005
The Joys of Living in an Agency Town
BMW and Fallon Part, Account Goes Into Review
This is the part where we all sit back and wait for the huge layoff announcement. And we check the mail for Fallon resumes.
Posted by Meghan at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)
June 01, 2005
the democratization of radio?
There's been some buzz lately about 'Whatever' Radio - with San Francisco's KMAX 95.7 recent format change, moving to play music like an iPod on shuffle. Unfortunately it may just be "oldies wrapped up in new wrapping paper and a new bow" in their case. But Houston's KPFT is doing Random Radio for real. They kicked off their first session early this morning (4am-6am), by bringing in a blogger/listener, and plugging his personal iPod into their mixing board for two hours of random play. It was a good first step. But a good next step? How about moving the sessions to a time slot when more listeners are awake...
Posted by Sharyn at 10:28 AM | Comments (1)
May 24, 2005
Blog Used as Evidence in Murder Investigation
A blogger's last entry was used to obtain a murder confession in New York. Simon Ng, the blogger, "wrote that he was wondering why Lin was there and wished he would leave," said an NYPD spokeswoman according to the New York Daily News. Lin was his sister's ex-boyfriend, who apparently came calling to score some cash for a ticket back to Hong Kong. The suspect allegedly searched the house and killed Simon after a fruitless search. Some time later, his sister Sharon came home and was also murdered.
Simon's blog is still online, and the mentioned entry is indeed there. It is quite chilling to read an entry posted a few short hours ago by someone who is now dead. If this alone isn't sad enough, the comments section of the post contains predictable 'net insults flung at a defenseless deceased individual. However, the vast majority of the comments thread consists of three simple initials: R.I.P.
In this situation, the blog not only helped to implicate the killer, but has made many people aware of an otherwise ordinary incident. It is sad that major media cares only by virtue of the blog's involvement in the case. Now Simon's words are frozen in time, available for all to see. The blog comments board has become a memorial wall of sorts. Ignore the "blog factor" and note that the blog is just another way for us humans to connect and share with one another. Simon has effectively spoken from beyond the grave to implicate his alleged killer.
RIP, Simon and Sharon.
Posted by Matt at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2005
Contagious Media Experiments
Last night I listened to a piece on NPR about the 'Contagious Media' contest:
It's a race among Web designers to see who can send out the most contagious e-mail. "Contagious media" are all those little amateur videos, singing computer animations and e-mail hoaxes that your friends send you.
And from the Eyebeam Institute (the contest's sponsor):
Announcing the world's first Contagious Media Showdown. Do you have what it takes to corral enough traffic to win the cash prizes? Can you make the next Dancing Baby, All Your Base, or Star Wars Kid and ride into the sunset with the bounty?
This brought to mind a work of fiction I enjoyed recently called Bellwether...about a sociologist trying to determine where fads come from. In it she writes that scientific discovery, like any other human endeavor, is "messy, haphazard, misdirected, and heavily influenced by chance." Much like the 'contagious media' these folks are striving to create. The idea behind the contest is an interesting one, but I don't know that viral trends can successfully be engineered. Human behavior is too unpredictable and spontaneous. Still, the showdown entries have gone live, so judge for yourself.
Posted by Sharyn at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2005
Enter the Celebrity Blog
I'm not sure why the concept of Arianna Huffington's forthcoming celebrity group blog reminds me of "Battle of the Network Stars" from back in the '70s and '80s. Remember those shows? Where you'd see if The Dukes of Hazzard and the guy who played Buck Rogers could really do well in intense physical challenges? As a young boy I would watch with anticipation to see who was worth their salt and who was a complete poseur.
And maybe therein lies the connection. Back then, BNS blended genres of Entertainment and Sport. Nowadays, there are forces at work to blend blogging with advertising, with entertainment, and so on. And while I expect great things from contributors-to-be like Cronkite, I watch with anticipation to see just how deep and substantial an all-star 'celeblog' will be.
UPDATE: I just found out that Pamela Anderson has a really cute blog already! Perhaps Ms. Huffington should look here for inspiration.
Posted by Andy at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2005
Minneapolis Wi-Fi
The StarTribune reports that the city of minneapolis is hearing proposals to turn the city into one giant wireless hotspot. They say the end user could log in anytime and anywhere for somewhere between $18 and $24 per month.
I have a few questions about the service, namely, would the monthly fee be per computer, or per user? Also, the article says that, "the city hopes to incorporate into it all Internet hot spots already operated by private businesses such as coffee shops". Is the implication that those "free" hotspots will go away? (This might piss off a few people.)
Overall, this is a fascinating prospect, but I want to hear a few more details before I get really excited.
Posted by Martin at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2005
Blaster scapegoat convicted
The Star Tribune reported today that Jeffrey Parson, (the Blaster virus scapegoat,) has been convicted and will serve prison time, 100 hours of community service, and three years of "supervised" release, (during which time, he'll be forbidden from using a computer for anything other than work or school). His crime was modifying the original blaster virus, which is estimated to have caused more than $525 million in damages.
In contrast, Parson's variant of the virus (which he created in less than two days from the original) is estimated to have caused $1.22 million. Perhaps ironically, it was Microsoft that claimed the most damages in the suit, at somewhere around $600 thousand. Of course, the virus only affected computers running Windows software. The 19 year old Parson, a native of Hopkins MN, was tried and convicted in Seattle, Washington, home of Microsoft's corporate headquarters.
Posted by Martin at 11:56 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2005
starring Topher Grace...and cameraphones
First, there was You've Got Mail. Now Hollywood is jumping on the social networking bandwagon with Friendster: The Movie, starring Topher Grace.
What's next? Maybe the marginally fictionalized story of a startup like, say, Six Apart...starring Jack and Meg White as Ben and Mena Trott. Personally I'd like to see Todd Louiso (Dick from High Fidelity) as Craig Newmark. The possibilities are endless. And probably being pitched.
Posted by Sharyn at 09:58 AM | Comments (1)
March 21, 2005
BBC Releases Archive to its Citizens
On my way in to work this morning, I heard on MPR that the BBC is releasing its entire archive of old programming for UK citizens. Even better, they're publicly encouraging people to use and edit the vault's assets in their own creative pursuits (as long as they are not for profit).
If I didn't have have so much work to do, I would talk about this even more - but I fully expect the rest of you to have a rousing discussion.
Listen to the story on Future Tense.
Posted by Meghan at 09:23 AM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2005
Minneapolis at the forefront of Technology
Popular science has named Minneapolis/St. Paul their Top Tech City. Apparently we are the cream of the High-Tech crop.
Posted by Martin at 03:32 PM | Comments (2)
February 25, 2005
IBM backs PHP
c|net news is reporting that IBM has partnered with Zend Technologies to deliver a platform with IBM's own Cloudscape database and PHP.
Posted by Matt at 05:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 09, 2005
Google Maps, Deconstructed
Slashdot has a post on Google Maps, the latest innovation from the folks at Google. Of particular note is an article deconstructing the code and technique behind Google Maps.
Google Maps is a service similar to Yahoo! Maps or MapQuest. The web site was launched as a beta yesterday. If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend it.
Posted by Matt at 08:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 29, 2005
Evangelists As Experts
Our very own tech 'evangelist', Matt Gray appeared on KSTP's Friday night news at 10pm as a 'web expert' commenting on some confusion around certain product searches on Target.com. It turns out that Target taps into the Amazon search mechanism, which, if it can't find an exact match for a given search term, will look for the 'closest' option. The resulting product ideas, when pulled from Amazon's inventory, can be 'questionable', if not completely irrelevant, to Target customers. I'd link to the entire story but KSTP doesn't seem to be featuring the full story on their website. And it appears that Target may have corrected the problem. Nice work, Matt!
Posted by Nancy at 07:39 AM | Comments (0)