BrainStuff
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Interesting Reading #297
by Marshall Brain | June 3, 2009
Mercedes-Benz SCL600, completely new concept – “These images of a futuristic “new Mercedes-Benz SCL600” automobile – including technical innovations such as a joystick in place of a steering wheel, a video monitor in place of a rear-view mirror, and swiveling gull-wing doors…”
Mysterious ‘chip’ is CIA’s latest weapon against al-Qaida targets hiding in Pakistan’s tribal belt – “Over the last 18 months the US has launched more than 50 drone attacks, mostly in south and north Waziristan. US officials claim nine of the top 20 al-Qaida figures have been killed. That success is reportedly in part thanks to the mysterious electronic devices, dubbed “chips” or “pathrai” (the Pashto word for a metal device), which have become a source of fear, intrigue and fascination…”
Our List of Essential Free Windows Downloads – “A single, handy list that we think improves the computer lives of Windows users…”
Big explosion:
8 Weird GPS Devices – “Sometimes technology treads into such intimate territory that it freaks us out. Such is the case with GPS technology, which is increasingly finding itself implanted in everything from tennis shoes to USB drives these days, potentially tracking our every move. The eight non-traditional-GPS-gadgets we’ve compiled range from the useful to the downright creepy — take a look!”
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Google’s Search Business
Google’s Android Software to Run Laptops, Taking on Microsoft – “Google Inc.’s free mobile-phone operating system will begin running computers next quarter, entering a market dominated by Microsoft Corp.’s Windows and deepening the rivalry between the two companies…”
Google Android Will Be on 18-20 Phones by End of 2009 – “Google predicts that some 18 to 20 phones, from eight to nine manufacturers, will come with Android OS installed on them by the end of the year. Although Android is open-source, manufacturers will be able to sign distribution deals with Google in order to pre-install their phones with more options such as Google Apps. The Android OS is widely predicted to also make the jump to mini-notebooks, also known as “netbooks,” soon…”
Five Best Netbooks – “If you’re thinking about picking up an ultra-portable laptop, this week’s Hive Five is a great spot to start your comparison shopping. These are the netbooks are those most loved by Lifehacker readers…”
NVIDIA Tegra-Based Devices Revolutionize the ‘MID’ Market – “VIDIA Corporation and industry partners today unveiled 12 new high-definition mobile Internet devices (MIDs) all powered by the NVIDIA(R) Tegra(TM) processor, the world’s smallest and lowest power computer-on-a-chip….”
New machine turns office waste into toilet paper – right in the office – “Tokyo-based Nakabayashi offers everything from bookbinding services, child car seats and office products. But the newest (and certainly coolest) product of the 2,000-man company is an in-office machine , which turns used copier paper into toilet rolls, right there in the office. Brillant…”
Look what happens when Dick Cheney makes a startling admission!
10 Possible Hot IPOs of the Future… – “Here are some private companies that may well end up being the growth stocks of the future. Sure, some of these may have questionable revenue models and would certainly be a risky investment, but they are all innovative and forward-thinking in my view. Start your homework now because they’re likely to be fast movers if they do issue public stock. Some of these companies are already on their way to going public, but all have carved out a strong niche in their respective industries. Let’s hear what you think, did I forget the next Google or include a company that will go the way of the landline phone?”
Everglades swamped with invading pythons – “The population of Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades may have grown to as many as 150,000 as the non-native snakes make a home and breed in the fragile wetlands, officials said on Thursday…”
Microsoft morphing Xbox 360 into social, entertainment hub – “Microsoft kicked off this year’s E3 by announcing the long-expected motion camera and the arrival of Facebook, Last.fm, Twitter, and more on the Xbox 360…”
Breakthrough: Regular Light Bulb Made Super-Efficient with Laser (!) – “What if you could take a regular incandescent lightbulb, zap it with a powerful laser for a small fraction of a second, and make it about twice as efficient as a regular lightbulb? “
50+ Famous Inventions That Changed The World – “Our daily lives are governed by inventions. From what we wear to the food we eat and our methods of travel – it’s all been invented or significantly altered by inventions. But sometimes an invention comes along that doesn’t just change the way we do things but changes the world by moving the things towards development…”
More Households Cut the Cord on Cable – “In what’s shaping up as the home-entertainment equivalent of severing a landline phone service, more people are joining the ranks of “cord cutters” by forgoing cable subscriptions that can run $60 or more a month…”
Windows 7 to launch October 22 – “Microsoft confirmed on Tuesday that it is planning for Windows 7 to hit retail shelves and start showing up on new PCs on October 22…”
Faster Computers, Electronic Devices Possible After Scientists Create Large-area Graphene On Copper – “The creation of large-area graphene using copper may enable the manufacture of new graphene-based devices that meet the scaling requirements of the semiconductor industry, leading to faster computers and electronics, according to a team of scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin…”
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