Category Archives: Technology

Microsoft employee bids $35,000 to tour boss’s (Bill Gates’) home

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Microsoft holds an annual charity campaign.  When fall comes around MS “donates products, services, and experiences” for their elite employees to bid on.  It’s a yearly extravaganza when it comes to watching for the highest bid to tour of Bill Gates’ Lake Washington home.  Last year the winning bid was a measly $8,600.  One lucky Microsoft employee and a few of his friends will be taken on a personal tour of the Gates estate by Bill himself–in exchange for $35,000!  MS matches the donation too, so this philanthropic venture is whole-heartedly (very) good in nature.

Oh, what I’d do to go on a personal tour of Bill Gates’ home…  I bet there’s all kinds of insanely awesome gadgetry and futuristic, out-of-this-world stuff that would just make my tech heart melt.  For some reason I can imagine a Massive Dynamic feel to the place, with Melinda taking the place of Nina Sharp, of course.

[Via Gizmodo; TechFlash]

Windbreaker for the ultimate geek..and the practical

Fashion, Images, Technology, ,

The Scottevest/SeV Pack Windbreaker includes seventeen pockets for all your gadgets to join you on all mobile journeys.  Some of the pockets feature magnetic closures.  The jacket boats a weight management system that supposedly balances the weight of the jacket on your body (taking into account all the paraphernalia it contains) and the pockets are made of clear touch fabric which allow you to see through the material to check up on your touchscreen devices hidden inside.  Pretty practical if you ask me.

[Via Gizmodo]

“The Cloud” to “broadcast the climate of humanity” during 2012 Olympics

Architecture, Technology, Video, , , , , ,

Researchers at MIT have designed a tower structure to be built in London in time for the 2012 Olympics.  It’s called “The Cloud” and its two towers will stand 400 feet tall and be connected by a series of plastic bubbles.  LCD screens will display scores and highlights from the Games and also act as a “barometer of the city’s interests and moods.”  “The Cloud” will run on ‘zero power;’ this means it will be powered by solar energy and will utilize regenerative breaking (like hybrid cars).  Besides displaying information, the structure will also house an observation deck.  The cost of the construction will be funded by citizens by way of micro-donations.  The research team is still deciding on a final location.  For more information visit raisethecloud.org.

[Via Engadget; BBC]

HP utilizing tilt-shifting photography for latest ad campaign

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And it rocks.

HP has used the techniques of tilt-shifting photography and minuature faking for the latest ad campaign called “Create Amazing.”  Tilt-shift photography “refers to the use of camera movements on small- and medium-format cameras, and sometimes specifically refers to the use of tilt for selective focus, often for simulating a miniature scene.”  Miniature faking is “a process in which a photograph of a life-size location or object is made to look like a photograph of a miniature scale model.  Blurring parts of the photo simulates the shallow depth of field normally encountered in close-up photography, making the scene seem much smaller than it actually is.”  “A miniature can also be simulated digitally, using an image editor to blur the top and bottom of the photograph, so that only the subject is sharp.”

UPDATE:  Apparently the video was taken off YouTube because the filmmaker still needs to clear it with HP.  I will repost as soon as it reappears on the Internet.

[Via Engadget; Wiki, here & here]

Verizon takes another jab at AT&T with slew of new “maps” adverts

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What happens when you have a great 3G phone (ie. the iPhone) but a poor cell phone carrier that lacks proper 3G coverage (read: AT&T)?  You get plopped onto the Island of Misfit Toys, that’s what.  Look after the break for two more anti-AT&T ads from Verizon Wireless.  Oh, it’s on.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading Verizon takes another jab at AT&T with slew of new “maps” adverts →

New Droid commercials finally bring Android into play

Technology, Television, Video, , , , , , , , ,

We’ve already seen the viral iDont and pods falling from space promos.  Now Verizon has decided to take a turn in marketing strategy moving towards more traditional “this is what the product can actually do” commercials.  I mean, what does DroidDoes do does did?  Peek after the break for two more spots that will take over the airwaves “soon.”

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading New Droid commercials finally bring Android into play →

DJ Jazzy Jeff invades Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, DJ Hero and all

Music, Technology, Video, , , , , ,

DJ Jazzy Jeff + The Roots = pure awesomeness.

Last week DJ Jazzy Jeff sat in with house band The Roots for an episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  He was there to scratch out with the band and promote the release of DJ Hero.  This clip is a ‘best of’ that shows off Jazzy Jeff’s best material throughout the night; it also features a segment where Fallon and guests Ian Somerhalder (Lost‘s Boone) and Rosie O’Donnell give DJ Hero a try.

Also, look after the break for two IGN behind-the-scenes making-of DJ Hero videos.

Continue reading DJ Jazzy Jeff invades Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, DJ Hero and all →

Rock Band 3 to actually teach gamers how to play real instruments; Natal support?

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Dhani Harrison (son of The Beatles’ George Harrison and developer on The Beatles: Rock Band) sat down with The Chicago Tribune and spilled some new information of what’s to come with the next installment of Harmonix’s Rock Band.

“I’m working on ‘Rock Band 3’ and making the controllers more real so people can actually learn how to play music while playing the game.  Give me a couple years, it’s going to happen.”

When asked about potential integration with Microsoft’s upcoming Project Natal interface, MTV Games general manager Scott Guthrie: “We aren’t standing still – we will keep moving into new areas and look at new technologies that our platform holder partners are also developing, such as Project Natal from Microsoft.”

It’s starting to look like Rock Band 3 will not just be another rhythm game in the serieswith a new tracklist and an updated online catalogue.  With more realistic instruments and potential Project Natal integration Rock Band 3 will surely make gamers and newcomers alike ready to rock out all over again.

[Via IGN]

Halo: Reach screenshots, details leaked

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Major League Gaming forum member “ToM MoReLLo” claims to have leaked some screenshots from Bungie’s highly anticapted Halo: Reach, the next installment in the Halo first-person shooter series.  In the post MoReLLo shares information on new weapons and mission descriptions that relate to the events that happened in first Halo novel, Halo: The Fall of Reach.  Though these images could all be fakes they look pretty legitimate to me, especially with all the other details surfacing with them.  Bungie plans on unveiling the Halo: Reach beta to the masses (or everyone who purchased Halo 3: ODST and received an invite code) in 2010.

[Via Gamespot]