Here’s a cute use for the excellent Google Voice service: you can send loved ones a voice message from Santa Claus! I’m sure parents and kids will get a kick out of this. I’m also sure that some people are going to use it to create perverted voicemails from Santa. Will those of you that are kids give it a shot by creating a nice message? Will you deviants out there give it a shot by creating a naughty message? Ha!
At a recent press conference, Google showed off its upcoming Chrome OS and the Cr-48 Chrome laptop. Based on Chrome browser technology, Chrome OS is a Linux-based operating system that’s lightweight and leverages the cloud. Although it can do a number of things offline, Chrome OS is meant to be used with an Internet connection. Chrome OS notebooks will hit in the middle of 2011, with initial offerings by Acer and Samsung.
One very smart and very cool aspect of Chrome OS notebooks is that they’ll come with free Internet access through Verizon. Users get 100MB a month on Verizon 3G for two years. Sure, that’s not a ton of data, but it should tide users over until they can access a WiFi or wired network. Additional access packages are available for purchase. It’s nice to see Google and Verizon using the crack cocaine model — first one’s free! *joke*
As an avid Google user, I’m pretty high on Chrome OS. On paper, Chrome OS notebooks will be cheap yet highly functional. Users will not be required to pay for expensive Windows and Microsoft Office software. Instead, they’ll rely on products like Google Docs and the relatively inexpensive (or free) software on the Chrome Web Store.
While some are questioning why Google is supporting two mobile operating systems (Android and Chrome), I believe there’s room for both. Android is meant for phones and will be optimized for tablets in version 3.0 (Honeycomb). Chrome is meant for the netbook market and has an opportunity to reinvigorate that lagging space. Chrome OS products seem ideal as a second computer and/or for casual users (soccer moms).
To work the kinks out of Chrome OS, Google has launched a pilot program featuring the Cr-48 Chrome notebook. Sadly, this laptop will not be be available for purchase, but you can apply to be a beta tester. Internet geeks are already in love with the Cr-48’s so-understated-it’s-cool looks. Hell, I’m drooling over the Cr-48 and hope I get accepted into the pilot program.
Anyway, this was just a cursory glance at Chrome OS and the Cr-48. Let’s talk it up! Let me know what you think of these products and if you have any questions about them.
Last week was a rough one for Wikileaks. After shaking up the world with U.S. diplomatic cable leaks, the site got booted off of Amazon’s servers and is no longer able to accept donations through PayPal. Some are applauding the companies for playing by the rules, while others feel that they’re behaving like cowards afraid government pressure. What do you think?
On the plus side, Wikileaks found an unlikely supporter in Texas republican (and likely presidential candidate) Ron Paul. A longtime critic of the Federal Reserve, Paul told Fox Business:
What we need is more WikiLeaks about the Federal Reserve. Can you imagine what it’d be like if we had every conversation in the last 10 years with our Federal Reserve people, the Federal Reserve chairman, with all the central bankers of the world and every agreement or quid-pro-quo they have? It would be massive. People would be so outraged.
In a free society we’re supposed to know the truth. In a society where truth becomes treason, then we’re in big trouble. And now, people who are revealing the truth are getting into trouble for it.
This whole notion that Assange, who’s an Australian, that we want to prosecute him for treason — I mean, aren’t they jumping to a wild conclusion? I mean, why don’t we prosecute The New York Times or anybody that releases this?
Despite losing Amazon and PayPal, I believe that Wikileaks will become more powerful in the near future. When thinking about the situation, I hear The Carpenter’s “We’ve Only Just Begun” in my head. I’m sure the site will reveal bigger and more damaging info soon. Don’t you agree?
Is Wikileaks a useful way for people to get information they wouldn’t normally have access to? Or is it an irresponsible site that endangers lives and international relationships? Or is Wikileaks simply a tool that can be used for good and evil?
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Britney Spears possibly getting physically abused, Kanye’s new album, or your favorite board game, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
The recent United States diplomatic cables leak by Wikileaks shook up the world (like Muhammad Ali). There’s a global manhunt for Wikileaks founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange and no matter what anyone says, it stems from the cable leaks. Some are hailing Assange as the Robin Hood of information, while others are calling him an irresponsible anarchist. What do you think of Assange and Wikileaks?
The reason I find the situation so fascinating is that this is the biggest Internet controversy I can recall. Sure, documents have been leaked, phone calls have been recorded, and secrets have been spilled in the past, but I don’t recall anything this big spreading through the Internet. Is Wikileaks a useful way for people to get information they wouldn’t normally have access to? Or is it an irresponsible site that endangers lives and international relationships? Perhaps Wikileaks is simply a tool that can be used for good and evil? I’m super looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this. Shout it out (please)!
I can’t believe I’ve never seen this outstanding video of The Princess Bride with lightsabers! It takes one of my favorite theatrical sword fights (Dread Pirate Roberts/Westley vs. Inigo Montoya) and adds an elegant weapon from a more civilized age. It’s crazy how special effects can turn a thrilling scene into one that’s completely hilarious. Big thanks to Joe and Dan for posting this!
Square Enix has launched the official site for the Final Fantasy trading card game (TCG). Set to launch on February 25, 2011, the teaser site reveals Cloud, Sephiroth, and Zidane as playable cards.
Any of you guys into TCGs? Would you be down with a Final Fantasy TCG? Can you name the characters that are currently shadowed in the teaser image? Some of ’em are obvious, while others aren’t so easy. Get your thinking caps on and give it a go (please)!
Source via Andriasang
Yesterday, I posted a video on the Oskar Sowden Softbrew. Today I’m going to compare this fine coffee maker with my usual method of brewing: the Chemex coffee pot. Brewing with Chemex offers a taste that people describe as “clean and bright”. The SoftBrew offers a richer and deeper taste. Chemex also requires filters and a thermos (if you want to keep your coffee hot for more than 20 minutes). While I really love what the SoftBrew brings to the table, the Chemex coffee maker remains my everyday choice.
Kindly check out the video and let me know if you have any questions!
Related Video
Facebook unveiled it’s all-in-one communications system called “Social Inbox”. The service combines email, instant messaging, and SMS. Here are more details from GigaOm:
- A seamless messaging system: Facebook’s social inbox handles email, but also SMS and IM. Users will be able to have facebook.com email addresses, Zuckerberg says, “but this is not email — I don’t even think email will be the primary way people communicate.”
- A single conversation history: Zuckerberg said that one thing that adds weight to email is threaded replies, so the new service will have a single conversation history for all your communication with a person, regardless of whether it comes via email, SMS, IM etc.
- A social in-box: Because Facebook knows who your friends are, you can see only messages that are really relevant, says Zuckerberg, and therefore “the default experience is all really high-signal personal messages.” In other words, less spam.
The features are awfully interesting and Facebook has a chance to succeed in unified messaging where Google failed with Wave. Unfortunately, the product is useless to me unless I start another Facebook account. The majority of people I’m “friends” with on Facebook aren’t purely social connections. Some of them are friends, but most of them are gaming industry contacts or people that read my articles — they’re friends but they’re not…friends. With that in mind, Facebook wouldn’t be able to tell what messages are truly relevant to me.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about social inbox for several hours and I’m excited by its potential…though I’m not sure I’d start another account to take advantage of what it offers. How about you? Are you interested in Facebook’s unified communications system (don’t call it email or Zuck will get pissed)?
Kindly check out this video of the Oskar Sowden SoftBrew taking on the classic French press method of coffee brewing. The SoftBrew is like a cross between a French press pot and a loose-leaf tea brewer. It also uses some cool technology; the stainless steel tube that holds the coffee has more than 500,000 laser etched holes.
While I’ve been on a Chemex kick in 2010, French press was my coffee brewing method of choice for the last 15 years or so. The SoftBrew offers some nice advantages over a standard French press pot. First, it’s made of porcelain so it retains heat better than the thin glass beakers used in most French press pots. More importantly, you’re able to take out the coffee grinds after the optimal brewing time is reached. This is huge if you want your coffee to taste great well after it’s brewed.
If you have any questions about SoftBrew (or coffee in general), please let me know!
Related Video
The word on the street is that AOL will unveil a revamped email service on Sunday and Facebook will launch a new email product on Monday. Are any of you intrigued? Do you care? Do you think either of these products are “Gmail killers”?
As for me, I’m completely uninterested in AOL Mail. I’m interested in how Facebook’s email will impact the market. I sincerely doubt either product will replace Gmail for me. It’s just too good and too useful. Plus, the mobile version of Gmail for Android is perfect. I don’t want to worry about mobile incompatibilities of a new email service.
So, any of you interested?
