Google has announced that it will be rolling out new Gmail features to Google Apps users soon, following the Gmail’s recent codebase revamp. The new features include an even faster interface, group chat from the browser, streamlined contact manager, colored message labels, improved keyboard shortcuts, and bookmarkable messages and searches. I’m a Google Apps user myself but I don’t know if I should feel excited about this or not. I know none of the keyboard shortcuts except that to send an email quickly, you press the CTRL and ENTER button simultaneously (although I haven’t even tried that in a while so I’m not completely sure about that), I don’t use labels, I chat using YM, and I thought the interface was supposed to be fast anyway. And I’ve set up my Google Apps account to activate new features immediately once they become available to users. So I don’t know if I’ve already been using the new features or not. Either way, if you’re a Google Apps user too, this is great news for you. At least it’s supposed to be.
In less than 20 minutes I made this "Cylon hat" for our "Make a Cylon contest" - just the MAKE miniPOV kit, loaded the Cyclon firmware and sewing it in a hat - tada, I'm a Cylon. Here are more details about our contest...
Mario Kart Wii is now available for pre-order for $50. The new more interactive version includes a Wii wheel and you can even use a motorcycle in the game. See the trailer after the jump. [Plunder Guide via Video Game Blog] (more…)
Here at Gadgetell, as I am sure you do also, love to see information leaked early, this time it involves Dell’s highly anticipated Latitude series. What we have learned are some more details involving two new E-Series models, the E6500 and the E6400. The E6500 is the more advanced of the two, and it begins with a 15.4-inch screen as opposed to the E6400’s 14.1-inch. Interestingly enough, these two laptops are set to replace the D830 and the D630.
The E6500 comes with UWB, Bluetooth 2.1, and mobile broadband. One of the best features is this laptop comes with integrated GPS, which is a rarity still in many laptops on the market today. Additionally, the E6500 comes with high quality batteries, 84WHr, able to keep your laptop running all day on a single charge. It’s 15.4-inch screen always comes with LED backlighting and a 1920 x 1200 resolution, nVIDIA graphics, and DisplayPort. No word on exact hard disk space, but it comes with a Solid State disk and an eSATA port for additional storage. If you want, you can purchase an optional webcam and microphone, no word on how much extra you would have to pay for these. It even comes with advanced security measures such as contact-less smart cards, and even encrypted hard disks.
These laptops come with a lot of good features, but I’m sure they are going to cost a helluva lot of money. No word on exact pricing as of now, but these laptops are slated for a June release. Stay tuned for more information as it comes out.
Diligent research plus $75 has led researchers at the University of California, Berkeley to develop a cellphone accessory that turns any cameraphone into a mobile microscope. That, coupled with the ability of most mobile phones to wirelessly connect with computers either via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, makes for a very convenient way to do a little bit of research and medical diagnosis. With enough time and training, people might even be able to do this themselves. The concept is so simple I’m amazed nobody has ever thought of it before. Finally all those megapixels have found a way to be useful, for once.
You might be tempted to ridicule and judge it by how it looks but once you realize how useful this thing could be, hopefully you’ll come to your senses. The device itself actually has two versions: one with about 5x magnification for taking images of moles and rashes, and another with about 60x magnification for capturing the details of blood cells and parasites.
I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to the day this device becomes official. Right now, the creators plan on taking it for a test run in Uganda, but hopefully they finish the final product soon and release it to the public. Just imagine using your cameraphone to capture images of the things under your skin and in your blood then just sending them to your doctor via the Internet for diagnosis. And if it doesn’t work so well, at least it saved you from gas money or a commute to the doctor’s clinic.
...boring. Okay, so that is just my opinion but I sure hope that there are a far more interesting videos out there than some of those who won. Sure, the ‘laughing baby’ is really cute but really, what’s so funny about the Potter Puppet Pals? I won’t criticize each and every winner and the nominees. After all, it’s the millions of YouTubers who have voted for these videos. Votes were cast during a week-long time frame and the winners were announced Friday. Twelve YouTube videos luckily won. I say luckily because not all are undeserving. But hey, they are the winners. They deserve at least to be recognized.
Here are the top winners:
Adorable: Laughing Baby from gsager1234
Commentary: LonelyGirl15 is Dead! from WHATTHEBUCKSHOW
Eyewitness: Battle at Kruger from Jason275
Instructional: How to solve a Rubik’s Cube from pogobat
Politics: Stop the Clash of Civilizations from AvaazOrg
Short Film: My Name is Lisa from sheltonfilms
Comedy: Potter Pupper Pals in “The Mysterious” from NeilCicierega
Creative: The Original Human TETRIS Performance from notsonoisy
Inspirational: Blind Painter from texascountryreporter
Music: “Chocolate Rain” Original Song by Tay from TayZonday
Series: The Guild - Episode 1: Wake-Up Call from watchtheguild
Sports: Balloon Bowl from davetheknave
Winners receive a trophy and an invitation to a special YouTube event later this year. And of course, how could I forget bragging rights. Let’s hope that next year’s winners won’t disappoint.
Next up on the tour of NYC for Makers... In 1933 the first Pearl Art store was opened in New York city - their biggest store is actually 3 stores on and near Canal street in NYC. The art store, the frame store and the craft center. I've probably spent a few paychecks on supplies here, last year a lot on some fine tipped pens to draw on my laptop. It's fun to spend a few hours there going up and down the creeky stairs, the entire place smells like art class from 3rd grade.
The art store has 5 floors: boxes, bags, inks, portfolios - paints, brushes, pastels - paper, sketchbooks, acetate - air brushes, light boxes and more... The craft center has an ok selection of things (beads, foam, some sewing) but the art store is where the action is at. More photos of Pearl art @ Flickr.
Editor's note: This is part of the "mobile post" series which will appear on MAKE - sponsored by Windows Mobile. Only the links and voice that appear in the mobile post box (below) are part of the campaign on MAKE - pt.
[Read this article] [Comment on this article]
Written by Phillip Torrone on March 22nd, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Arts.
