During my daily trawl of the technology, lifestyle and fashion pages of the online newspapers, I worringly came across an article in today’s Daily Mail Science and Technology section with the headline “Noel Edmonds launches ‘cosmic ordering’ app for iPhone users to call on the universe for help.”
Surely, no rational person would believe an iPhone app has any kind of spiritual or religious power and even more worringly, the brainbox behind the idea is Noel Edmonds, famed for catapulting Mr Blobby onto UK Television screens, say no more!
Read full article
Source: Aram Bartholl – Blog
Pocket Tweets – a cell phone display enabled Twitter shirt for everyday use.
Pocket Tweets takes advantage of existing technology. Why invent a new screen when the mobile phone, our private mobile window to the digtal world is already there? A small Java application is offered for download to be installed on an internet activated cell phone. The application asks for the Twitter screen name, then receives the latest tweet from the web and displays the message on the screen. The concept is to wear the phone in a custom designed pocket on a shirt, jacket or bag. A speech bubble shaped cut-out in the cloth shows the displayed message to the public. The ubiquitous mobile phone turns a normal shirt into wearable technology. The private screen of the mobile phone becomes a public display.
Tweet Bubble Series
I came across this great website, although based in Boston, I really love that it harnesses the power of the community. It brings together those that are looking for small jobs to get done, such as delivering a package, picking up guests from the airport or taking clothes to the cleaners. Anyone interested in earning some cash for running the errands, can offer to get the job done. Everyone benefits!
Check out Run My Errand
What does a “Day in the Life” of a technologically savvy mom look like?
Nielsen Online recently hosted a webinar (listen and follow along below) focused on Power Moms based on the recently launched “Power Moms Initiative” in conjunction with Nielsen Life360. The goal was to get a more intimate view of moms’ use of digital tools through groundbreaking video ethnographic research. As part of the study, a select group of women from around the country revealed how they use their “digital toolkits” to juggle careers, manage demanding family schedules, streamline spending through online banking, coupon sites and retailer channels. The multitude of daily tasks now performed online are stitched together by more gratifying pursuits — offline hobbies that are now slowing taking place in online spheres from scrap-booking and photo-sharing to fitness programs — enabling digital moms to achieve new levels of connectivity and fulfillment from their online experiences.
I was at home yesterday having a discussion with a friend over the the pros and cons of the computer age. Throughout the conversation, he used buzzwords and acronyms which literally flew over my head and out the window. Of course, I could have asked him to elaborate but I didn’t like to stop him in mid-flow.
Anyhow, when he’d gone home, I pondered on whether he thought spouting buzzwords made him look smart and in turn, me stupid. Or was it the other way round. He was the stupid one, as he couldn’t speak plain English and I was the smart one, talking without using precarious words.
I needed to find out more about the use of buzzwords starting with a definition. PC Magazine described them as a term that refers to the latest technology or a term that sounds catchy. In the beginning, everyone uses the terms to appear knowledgeable and cutting edge. However, if not a flash in the pan, new technologies become mainstream, and the words soon become everyday vocabulary.
So what were the current words being used by those in the know? This year, Cramer-Krasselt, the US creative agency released an update to their popular Cultural Dictionary. A collection of words and slang reflecting the changes in our culture, not only in technology but politics and relationships too. Its a fascinating and a comical read, I say that because its hard to imagine being cool using terms like “Mullet Strategy” or “Digi-necker.”
Cultural Dictionary
I gave up on my Yahoo and Hotmail account years ago, after receiving an invite to join Gmail Beta and I’ve never looked back.
Firstly, it was free just like its counterparts but the main difference was the spam filter. No longer do I have to navigate my way through emails trying to sell me a ‘penis extension’ (Does anyone actually buy those products?)
So when I found out Google’s newest feature will take the pain out of migrating your email and contacts from other email providers, I just had to let everyone know about it (well, the readers of my blog that is!)
For the details check this out: Import your Mail and Contacts.
Spotted at Inhope.Etsy.com
Pacman Cuff featured at Inhope's Etsy shop
Source: Daily Mail
Hubble astronaut sends first ever Twitter message from space to say he is ‘enjoying the view’
A Nasa astronaut has become the first person to use Twitter in space, during a mission to fix the Hubble telescope.
The free social networking and micro-blogging website allows users to send and read other user’s updates.
It has already proved enormously popular particularly with celebrities who keep their fans up to speed on their latest movements.
Mission specialist Mike Massimino has been updating his 242,000 followers on preparations for the Hubble mission since April 3rd.
Today he tweeted: ‘From orbit: Launch was awesome!! I am feeling great, working hard, & enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun!’
He plans to continue ‘tweeting’ under his Twitter name Astro_Mike while the shuttle is in orbit.
In his final tweet on Earth he wrote: ‘I’m going to put my spacesuit on, next stop: Earth Orbit!!’
Nasa has not placed any limits on what Mr Massimino can tweet about. The messages or ‘tweets’ can only be up to 140 characters in length, but such brevity will suit the veteran spacewalker who will be busy upgrading the orbiting telescope.
He emails his messages to Mission Control in Houston, Texas, who then upload them to his Twitter page.
The mission includes five risky spacewalks and has been labelled Nasa’s ‘most dangerous shuttle mission’ due to the large amount of space junk in orbit close to where they will be operating.
There is even a back-up rescue crew on standby should events take a turn for the worse.
Despite this, Mr Massimino has remained upbeat about his upcoming stint in space.
‘Viewing the Earth from space is the most beautiful sight, words cannot describe the experience, can’t wait to see that sight again!’ he wrote recently.
Hubble astronaut Twitters from space
This won’t be Mike’s first mission into space. He took part in the last Hubble telescope servicing mission in 2002 and completed two space walks totaling nearly 15 hours during the ten-day visit.
Over the last five weeks he has revealed what it is like training for a flight.
‘Completed our final practice for spacewalk 2 in the big pool, huge IMAX camera was in the pool with us filming a 3D movie, really fun day,’ he wrote on April 17th.
Other tasks included attending a space photography class to learn how to take memorable snaps as well as practicing inspections of the space shuttle with the robot arm.
In the final days before launch he and his fellow six astronauts carried out last minute preparations and enjoyed meals with their friends and family in quarantine.
You can follow Mr Massimino’s on Twitter at www.twitter.com/astro_mike
