Technology, web, gadgets

Latest highway nightware in a Prius

I got sweaty palms even reading this latest Toyota Prius incident.

The driver tries several things and fortunately took the vehicle to a halt from 94mph.

Cars are developed so smart these days. It greets you, it shows you directions and it even tells you that your tire is flat, but what’s good with all these if it even couldn’t perform stop and go right?

I bet the car buyers these days put this question first before buying: “could this car have the potential problem that the Toyota has?”.

I bet this is the beginning of the end of Toyota brand.

Type a zip code and find out where it is

If you like to know where a zip code is, this cool zip code tool can help. Basically you just type a 6 digit zip code and search it. The boundary of the zip code area will be drawn out on the map, which is pretty cool.

iPad - I just don’t see it can be as successful as iPhone

Apple Inc, released its long waited tablet device today. It’s called iPad.

You can find more pictures here.

For the most part, you can call it iPod Touch on steroids. Besides the web browsing, emailing and other person apps, it also can be used as a eBook reader. As a matter of fact, Apple also opened its new iBook store, to try to get their feet in the eBook market.

I like the cool and beautiful device - of course by nothing dull and ugly would come out of Apple’s factory. But I just don’t think the device can be that successful. I mean, iPod or iPhone successful.

IPod and iPhone both are exceptional. IPod dominated an existing market, in which portable MP3 players had been around for years; on the contrary, iPhone kind of created a market. IPhone successfully gives everybody something to pass their time. No matter you are on the go, in a meeting, or sitting on a toilet, you can always dig out the little phone in your pocket and start to do something.

However I fail to see how the new iPad fills, or creates any niche:

• It’s not as portable as a phone. You need a bag to carry it around.
• It’s not as powerful as a computer, so besides web browsing and some fun factors you can use it to do to much work so it’s hard to justifying lugging it around instead of a laptop.
• If it’s an entertainment device it certainly can find its way around the house. Let’s say it sits on the side table of my couch so I can read magazine online…well it costs $499 minimum. To me it’s kind of a waste to use a $500 gadget that way.
• The last thing I can think of is iPad can be a serious contender of eBook reader. However, whether it can compete with e-ink technology to deliver good eBook reading experience is yet to be see.

Well that being said, I do see more of these kind of devices coming out in the future. A eMagazine, eBook reader that can also be used to surf the net and check emails, at a much much lower price.

You play to win the game

If you like NFL (American football) and hip hop, this is the video you MUST watch. Enjoy.

By D.J. Steve Porter

A break from Facebook

Some early adopters of Facebook have started to grow tired of the time spent on the famous social network site.

So they choose to “de-friend” the network, or only use it on a very limited time.

Like illustrated in the article above, this is really a unique and interesting phenomena. And it’s not just a break from a social network. I think we all need a break from web, computer and wireless device from time to time. I had to finish some projects around the house during the past weekends, so instead of sitting in front of a computer like I usually do, I ran around and got some serious elbow grease.

I felt great.

Have social games become too additive?

Allow me to tell a story first:

A wife in China burned her home after so desperate about husband’s addition on Farmville.  (If you don’t know what Farmville is, it’s a social network game that you play on Facebook in which one can act like a farmer and plant stuff.)

The husband started playing Farmville and became so additive and every day all he can think of is to log in to his computer and take care his farm lands. He would set up an alarm clock to remind himself “it’s time for watering”; and even mumbled about “need more crops” in his sleep.

Finally the wife had enough after the husband ran back into the house to “attend his farm” before they left for a wedding party. And she set fire on their home…

I have to confess I chuckled after reading the story but it’s a sad story nonetheless.

Oh by the way the husband was a school teacher.

Computer games have evolved so much and today’s social games let you to compete or build status in “virtual world” or “social network”. Because it fulfills one’s ego in some ways players keep coming back to play or just do simple tasks like attending the farm or feeding the fish. I guess how real it feels varies from person to person.  But platform like Facebook definitely makes it more interesting since one can show off the game status to all his/her online friends, maybe even more, easily.

Personally I think the social games like a lot of other online fads, will eventually wear out. However, as one of the major goals of the game makers is to get you hooked and get you stay, The “fad” may become an addition.

Great news for movie lovers

If you love watching movies or mimic famous movie actor(actress) in a scene, here is a great site for you: movieclips.com.

On this site, you can watch hundreds and thousands of scene or lines that have become legendary clips since the release of the movie, such as “I’ll be BACK!” from the “Terminator”, and funny actions in “Rush hour” by Jacky Chan.

This is the ultimate movie buffet that let you pick and choose the best from the best if you don’t have time to watch the whole movie.

The ultimate prank

This Japanese prank show took the TV prank to a whole new level.

A guy was arranged with a meeting and wasn’t aware that the other participants would be “gun down”. Of course the shooting was fake but the guy’s reaction was not.

It’s hilarious. Some serious concern has to be raised. How far can this go?

Enjoy the video.

EDIT: the video has been taken down by youtube for copyright reason.

Honda now competes with Segway so you won’t go route 11

Hate walking,

Can’t or don’t want to drive?

You can get a Segway.

Like sitting down,

But still want to go to places,

Honda’s “personal mobility” device may get your wish come true.

Without a steering wheel or handle, you can simply lean to the direction that you want to go. My guess is that your butt will do all the work.

Ok, don’t get too excited just yet my lazy friend, it’s still just a proposal. Honda has no plan to make them yet.

If you really are into this kind of things, building your own is not that difficult, this guy has done it.

Technolody, a big part of our life now

I found this funny image online. The sentence itself is not funny, but the way it is constructed using different characters from the logos of the web sites that we frequent, is quite interesting.

Technology can be the biggest time waster this days.

Oh really? Yes. it just consumed 5 minutes of my time writing this post; and 2 minutes of yours reading it…