I have no idea what my mom's cell phone number is. I don't think I've ever known the phone number of a girlfriend. Why would I? You probably don't either! Contact lists killed them. But web service Go800 wants to skip the whole number thing entirely, letting you hit people via their Twitter handle to connect a call. More »
N64oid, a Nintendo 64 emulator, will let you indulge your nostalgia wherever you go. Though other video game emulators for Android devices exist, nothing else can bring you this kind of 64-bit gaming goodness. $6. [Android Market] More »
The Motorola Atrix 4G and the LG Optimus 2X both feature the same Tegra 2 Chipset that uses the same 1.2 Ghz, dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, the same GeForce ULP GPU and the same version of Android (2.2.1). Yet, when benchmarked, the Optimus 2X outgunned the Atrix in nearly every test (the Galaxy S even jumped ahead in a few of those). So what gives? More »
Bored with CDs and things of the like, the psych-rock weirdos Flaming Lips want to deliver the physical version of their album in an all new format: gummy candy skulls. And it only requires your mouth and a laptop! How does one listen, you ask? First you, eat the life-size candy skull. Then you eat the gummy brain embedded inside the skull. Then take the USB drive embedded in the gummy brain and plug that into your computer (don't eat it!). Enjoy your three new Flaming Lips songs, which should be out sometime next month. [Pitchfork] More »
Click to viewWhen he's not driving around in circles, NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. apparently likes to opine on the state of electric cars and green technology. CNS news tracked down Earnhardt to ask him what he thought of electric cars, specificially the Chevy Volt. Here's what he said: More »
We previously thought that OS X wouldn't see TRIM support until Lion came out later this year. But as it turns out, Apple slipped it in to the 10.6.6 build currently shipping with new Macbook Pros. [Apple Insider] More »
Thrutu: When you're on a phone call, Thrutu puts a sliding drawer on top of your dialer to give you easy access to send pictures, contact info, location, etc. to the person you're talking to. It's quick and painless-just think about how many times you've tried to track down a phone number or explained directions on the phone, none of those situations would be as easy as just directly sending what you need. Only problems right now is that it doesn't work with CDMA Android phones (no simultaneous data and voice!) and both users need Thrutu. Free.
Battleheart: It's certainly not the first RPG for the iPad, nor the most traditional-Aralon probably takes that title-but as far as I've seen it's the best RPG designed for the iPad, a game that rewards investment but is easy to get the hang of, one that has delicious graphics and a control scheme designed around pokings, proddings, and swipings instead of merely accommodating them. $3.
GroupMe: We fell in love with GroupMe at CES, but at that point the app itself was sort of secondary to the whole experience. No more! The free app got a big update, making the default messaging option free "push" messages that get piped in over your data connection (for chat that's both quicker and cheaper than SMS) as well as bringing FourSquare integration and more. Free.
Sometimes, when you need a truck somewhere, you drive it there. Sometimes, you parachute it out of the back of an airplane. We're not exactly sure what the story is here—probably a military exercise—but the speed with which those trucks launch out of the plane is pretty spectacular. Make sure your toe doesn't get caught. [via AcidCow] More »
In order to verify you're not pirating their products, Amazon's new Appstore on Android will reportedly require that you have the Appstore client installed on your phone and that you be signed into your account whenever you use their apps. With that in place, it becomes unclear what happens when you use an Amazon app and you lose connectivity. Would living in a city like New York with notoriously bad signal mean you're out of luck launching your apps? [Phandroid] More »
Researchers at Cal Berkeley say that we—we being humans—have probably triggered the sixth mass extinction in our planet's history (the first man-made mass extinction!). Thanks to the last 500 years of over-fishing, overhunting, habitation destruction, and fossil-fuel-induced global warming, we could have the blood of over 75% of Earth's current living species on our hands. More »
Connector Optics LLC (St. Petersburg, Russia), a RUSNANO project company has announced the launch of the new product line based on ultra-high speed 850 nm vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and photodetectors for data transmission via optical networks at speeds of 16, 28 and 40Gbit/s.
Face the reality Hindustan Times Enlightenment takes place within the journey between life and death. Nirvana means 'without wind'. Nir means 'without'. Va means 'wind'. We need the fire, the passion but we need it under control without the wind to blow it. ... |
Click here to view the embedded video.
The video is pretty shaky so is every version out there. The Glory Mission was to measure aerosols in the atmosphere and to measure how much solar radiation the atmosphere receives from the sun.
“Was” is the key word because the mission was aborted because of a malfunction that caused the fairing not to release. It’s not the first time either. in 2009 the Orbiting Carbon Observatory riding the same model Taurus rocket met the same fate and in fact design changes to the joints holding the fairing in place were made.
Oh well and that’s about all I am going to say about that. 
On a brighter note The United Launch Alliance (sounds very sci-fi-esque and I like it) successfully launched the Second Orbital Test Vehicle also known as the X 37B. The launch was webcast live and went off with out a hitch, very impressive. Apparently owing to the type of mission there is no replay available. Pity too, because I did watch and it was spectacular. Here’s a little background on the X 37 available on the web, might be good to take it with a grain of salt.
The orbital information is not being released but there was quite an effort to spot the spacecraft during the first launch nearly a year ago. Should be fun to see if the cat and mouse game occurs this time my guess is: of course it will.
Future Motorola Xoom owners who enjoy messing around with their gear, rooting their gear or otherwise modifying it in some way, take note! Motorola is promising to accept your tablet with open arms during the "send it away" 4G upgrade process, no matter what. More »
Muslim immigrants reacting Violently
From Eric Dondero:
Western European countries are starting to enforce statutes meant to preserve their language and culture. With vastly increased immigration from mostly northern African Muslim countries such as Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, Euro nations like Britain, Austria and Italy are taking a stand, with a requirement of basic knowledge of the native language, and even knowledge of history and cultural values. Predictably, the immigrants are not reacting favorably to the changes.
From Yahoo News, "Italy makes Immigrants speak Italian for Work Visa":
Italy
Italy is the latest Western European country turning the screws on an expanding immigrant population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship. While enacted last year in the name of integration, these requirements also reflect anxiety that foreigners might dilute fiercely-prized national identity or even, especially in Britain's case, pose terror risks.
The United Kingdom
Since 2005, would-be citizens and permanent residency holders have been asked to prove their command of "Britishness" by answering multiple choice questions, in English, on British history, culture and law, from explaining the meaning behind the fireworks-filled Guy Fawkes Night, to knowing which British courts use a jury system.
Britain's government has pledged to dramatically cut immigration, and the language requirement is effectively a tool to put a cap on the number of newcomers, said Sarah Mulley, an immigration expert at the Institute of Public Policy Research, a London think tank.
Austria
In Austria, terms are tougher. There, where native speakers have been sometimes known to scold immigrant parents for not speaking proper German to their children, foreigners from outside the European Union need to prove they speak basic German within five years of receiving their first residency permit. Failure to do so can bring fines and jeopardize their right to stay.
The government argues that foreigners who master German can better integrate and help foster understanding across cultures. But, like in Italy, critics say it's a just a pretext for erecting barriers.
Strong opposition of course, is being voiced by a coalition of Leftist parties and Muslim immigration advocates.
"The German language is increasingly being used as a marginalization tool," said Alev Korun, a Turkish-born member of the opposition Greens party who immigrated to Austria when she was 19.
And Muslim violence on native Europeans has increased dramatically in the last few months, and weeks.
Just last week in Spain: A Morroccan Muslim stabbed 12 people in Ibiza and a crazed Muslim attacked staff and patients at a hospital in Madrid. (Source: BNI).
And in France, hordes of Muslim Youth rampaged through neighborhoods in Marseilles, attacking local French citizens, and shops after a soccer match. (LR, March 4).
Photo of Algerian man yelling at Italian woman. Korun right.
