Tag: Geek Stuff

Coffee Talk #275: CES Developments and You

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is right around the corner and all sorts of exciting (tech nerd) developments are about to be unveiled. What are you looking forward to at CES 2011?

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, Brett Favre’s slap on the wrist, the best cut of steak (it’s rib eye), or random closing thoughts on 2010, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is right around the corner and all sorts of exciting (tech nerd) developments are about to be unveiled. What are you looking forward to at CES 2011? Televisions are a huge part of the show, with 3DTV and advanced LED implementation leading the way. Android phones should be a major slice of the CES pie, with Verizon set to announce an LTE Android phone from HTC. Video chat through phones and televisions should cause a stir. There will be several Windows ultra-portable laptops on display from numerous manufacturers looking to duplicate the success of the MacBook Air. Tablet computers will be tremendous too, with several vendors serving up Apple iPad alternatives.

What are you looking forward to the most? Kindly take today’s poll and discuss in the comments section (please!).

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Coffee Wars: Coava Kone vs. Chemex Paper Filters

For the last month I’ve been using Coava Coffee Roasters’ Kone filter with my trusty Chemex coffee pot. Coffee lovers rave about the bright and clean taste produced by Chemex paper filters, so I was curious to see what the Kone would bring to the table. To my surprise, I now prefer Kone coffee over paper-filtered coffee. The Kone produces a cup that’s richer than coffee produced by paper filters and brighter than coffee brewed from a French press or Sowden Softbrew. Your taste may vary, but for me the Kone hit a brilliant sweet spot.

Although $50 seems like a lot for a stainless steel filter, daily drinkers will save money in the long run over buying paper filters. Furthermore, the Kone was engineered in Oregon and is manufactured in Connecticut from Ohio steel. Most of the stuff in my kitchen (sadly) has a “Made in China” stamp on it, so I feel proud and patriotic when brewing coffee with the Kone. (Perhaps I should play John Williams’ Superman theme when I use the Kone.)

The Kone also sports some very cool tech. It has been meticulously engineered to provide superior extraction over paper filters and has thousands of photochemically etched holes. It makes me feel proud as a geek and an American.

Check out the video above for more details on the Kone and to see it in action. If you have any questions about my experience with this fine product, please ask away in the comments section. Congrats to Coava for making an environmentally friendly coffee filter that boosts the American economy!

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Internet Atheists vs. Internet Christians

I’m off to the airport shortly so I thought I’d write a really loaded post to encourage discussion. Ha! Seriously though, I’ve always wondered why Internet atheists usually run circles around Internet Christians. I was reminded of this when reading a recent post on FakeSteveJobs that started with an explanation on why a Christian and homophobic app was removed from iTunes and evolved into a pro-atheism rant. Naturally, it got a ton of attention, generating the most comments FSJ has seen in a long time. Before I continue, let me state for the record that I’m neither atheist or Christian, so I have no horse in this race.

As I sifted through the comments, I saw what I usually see in these kinds of arguments. The atheists offer logical arguments that are sometimes infused with dickish snark. The Christians offer passionate arguments that are sometimes pretentiously dismissive. Keep in mind that I’m speaking in general terms. I’ve also seen atheists that are just senseless pricks and Christians that offer fair explanations, but in general I usually see atheists making Christians look silly.

A lot of it has to do with logic vs. faith. It’s easier to explain logic because it’s…well, logical. Trying to explain faith to someone that doesn’t share the same beliefs is extremely difficult. I often see Internet Christians lose patience with atheists; initially they try to explain and preach peacefully, but they quickly become rattled and very un-Christian. Hmmm, perhaps the various churches need to deploy Internet missionaries. That could be shockingly effective….

Anyway, I wanted to get your thoughts on the matter. Hopefully nobody is offended and we can have a civil discussion on the topic. In your experience, what have you observed when Internet Christians and Internet atheists go at it?

Send Voicemail From Santa Claus With Google Voice

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!

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Google Unveils Chrome OS, Cr-48 Chrome Notebook

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.

Wikileaks Loses Amazon and PayPal, Gains Ron Paul

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?

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The Princess Bride…With Lightsabers!!!

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!

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game Coming February 2011

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

Coffee Wars: Chemex vs. Oskar Sowden SoftBrew

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!

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Facebook Social Inbox is Intriguing…But Not For Me

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)?

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