Apr 13

Jerry Lawson, creator of cartridge-based video game consoles, dies at 70

Posted in: Today's Chili

Gerald “Jerry” Lawson, the man who invented the video game cartridge, died Saturday morning of a heart attack at a Mountain View, California hospital at the age of 70. His brainchild, the Fairchild Channel F Video Game System, more commonly referred to as the Channel F, came out just one year before Atari’s cartridge-based console, the VCS, opening the floodgates of modern gaming. His earliest foray into consumer electronics began early on, but it wasn’t until he joined Fairchild in 1970 that he really made his mark on the tech industry. During that time, he became the only black member of the infamous Homebrew Computer Club that counted Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as members. He was honored at this year’s GDC for his monumental contribution to modern gaming.

Jerry Lawson, creator of cartridge-based video game consoles, dies at 70 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 13

Amazon Kindle Gets Ad-Support Option

Posted in: kindle, Today's Chili

 

Kindle_Ads.jpgThe Amazon Kindle has just gotten a little cheaper, that is, as long as you’re fine with having a whole lot of ads. Amazon is releasing an ad-supported version of the hit e-reader. It will feature special offers for its user, and will include more ads at the bottom along with the screen saver. If you’re a real stickler for a deal, and you don’t mind the ads, you can save $25 off the regular price of a Kindle. 

This generation of the Amazon Kindle will be called Kindle with Special Offers, and it costs $114, compared to the Wi-Fi model that costs $139. Amazon claims that the ads will not be intrusive, but it does seem to take away the point of owning one.

Amazon is working hard to make the new model sound good. While ad supported models work for free services, most who buy a device or service expect more out of the company. No word on how Kindle fans will react to the new device.

Via Hot Hardware

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Apr 13

The World’s Creepiest Opera Is Still Under Construction [Image Cache]

Posted in: Opera, Today's Chili, top

An Austrian production of French Revolutionary opera ‘Andre Chenier’ is set to start in July, on the banks of beautiful Lake Constance. Not quite so beautiful is the eery, incomplete, massive human torso (with 49-foot head) that provides the stage. More »

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Apr 13

Nokia Debuts New Symbian Phones Despite Deal with Microsoft

Posted in: nokia, symbian, Today's Chili

nokiahands.jpgYesterday, we told you about Nokia starting the process to end Symbian-based phones, but now we have news about Nokia launching new phones with Symbian as the OS. Nokia has stated that the Windows phones will be released at a later date, but did not give a reason as to why the new phones will still run on Symbian.

Jo Harlow, head of Nokia’s Smart Devices business said in a press release: 

With these new products and more Symbian devices and user enhancements coming in the near future, we are confident we can keep existing Nokia smartphone customers engaged, as well as attract new first-time and competitor smartphone users.

Symbian has made Nokia a leader in cell phones overseas, but not so much in the States. Nokia is currently building the new phones that will use Windows 7 Mobile, but no target date has been shared as of yet. However, these new phones are using a closed-source version of Symbian unlike previous models.

Via TG Daily

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Apr 13

IBM shows off Smarter Traveler traffic prediction tool

Posted in: gps, Today's Chili, video
Traffic alerts on GPS devices may be old hat at this point, but there’s obviously still plenty of room for improvement, and IBM now says it’s managed to do just that with its new “Smarter Traveler” traffic prediction tool. Developed with the help of UC Berkeley’s transportation group and the California Department of Transportation, the tool relies on predictive analytics software, GPS monitoring and sensors already on the roads to not only offer alerts, but build a model of each person’s usual commuter route. Once the system is trained a bit, commuters are able to check out what’s effectively a forecast of their entire route before they even leave the house, rather than simply be alerted to traffic problems before it’s too late to avoid them. Head on past for the complete press release, and a quick video explanation of how it works.

Continue reading IBM shows off Smarter Traveler traffic prediction tool

IBM shows off Smarter Traveler traffic prediction tool originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 13

Yahoo! Acquires MyBlogLog (along with their statistics program too!)

Posted in: General, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on January 09, 2007 by CyberNet.

Yahoo! has announced their first acquisition of 2007, MyBlogLog! Yahoo swept up MyBlogLog after only 3-4 months of release to the public.  The estimated purchase price was $10-12 million. At the beginning of December, we decided we wanted to get in on the popular community for blogger’s. You’ll notice our BlogLog in the right column, it shows a list of recent visitors, and users of BlogLog can become members of Blogging communities, like our CyberNet community.

MyBlogLog gives people the chance to put a face to the name with pictures, avatars, etc. It’s great, and has gained a lot of popularity from the blogosphere. So far, Yahoo has acquired some pretty big names in social networking and media like Flickr, and Del.icio.us. I think that with Yahoo! acquiring ByBlogLog, they’ll be able to spread this service to a variety of different types of blogs instead of the technology blogs where it seems to be the most popular.

On the official Yahoo blog, in talking about connecting people of a community, Chad Dickerson says, “If blogging was originally about building a community and having a conversation with people in that community, then MyBlogLog provides the missing link that makes those connections more real.” The Yahoo blog also notes that they’re not planning on making any immediate changes quite yet.

Another important part of this acquisition is the Stat Tracking that MyBlogLog is offering for $3.00 per month.  Yahoo hasn’t gotten into stat tracking yet, so this officially gets them involved. The stat program has real-time tracking capabilities, so I could see Yahoo potentially taking this stat program and offering it for no additional cost.  It will give people more incentive to use it on their site, which will give Yahoo that much more statistical information at their disposal.

Nice buy, Yahoo and Congrats ByBlogLog! I wonder if/how they’ll integrate all of these newly acquired services together!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Apr 13

Caption contest: Nokia stand at MIX 11

Posted in: Microsoft, nokia, Today's Chili
We were wandering about here at MIX 11 — Microsoft’s annual web developer event — when we stumbled upon these lovely people at this tiny Nokia stand peddling several Symbian phones. Judging from the smiles, we’re pretty sure they’re stoked about the recent Microsoft partnership announcement — just don’t bring up the lack of actual Windows Phone devices.

Thomas: “When you squint, it looks just like Windows Mobile 6.”
Sean Hollister: “Ballmer told us developers were important, so we came to see what they looked like.”
Myriam: “We don’t have any Windows Phone hardware, but we look pretty! Now, about that E7 review…”
Vlad: “And here’s our all-new, environmentally friendly roadmap. It’s made of 100 percent recycled materials.”
Darren: “What, you didn’t know? Elop’s still on the payroll.”
Chris Trout: “Sure we’ll pose for a picture, but then you have to tell us where the penny slots are.”
Richard Lawler: “Would this be more or less awkward if we were at Google I/O?”
Josh F.: “Please talk to us!”
Terrence: “Wait, you mean this isn’t the Vintage Computing Festival?

Caption contest: Nokia stand at MIX 11 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 13

‘Star Wars’ fan gathers support for life-size AT-AT

Posted in: Today's Chili

The force is strong with Michael Koehler, an Oklahoma City man who is drumming up support to build one of the largest land vehicles in the “Star Wars” universe.

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Apr 13

Android adds carrier billing option for Sprint users, just in time for them to load up the EVO 3D with apps

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, apps, Google, market, Sprint, Today's Chili

Keeping up with the AT&T&T-Mobile (future) juggernaut, Sprint has just added a direct carrier billing option for its Android customers. The same courtesy has already been extended to T-Mobile users of Google’s OS back in 2009 and then to AT&T in 2010, and now Dan Hesse’s crew is joining in on the credit card-hating action. Right now, this new payment option is only for splashing cash in the Android Market, however its availability ties in neatly with Google’s recent acquisition of PushLife, a music store service that has carrier billing for track purchases as one of its core features. Another brick laid in the foundations of a Google Music service? Let’s hope so.

Android adds carrier billing option for Sprint users, just in time for them to load up the EVO 3D with apps originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 13

Google, Sprint announce carrier billing for Android Market apps

Posted in: Today's Chili

A new partnership lets Android owners pay for games or other apps via their monthly Sprint bills.

Originally posted at Dialed In

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