|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
Filed under: Cellphones
Hate it or love it, there's no denying the iPhone is hot amongst the A-list -- even if they can't seem to hold it the right way -- and it doesn't get more A-list than former President Bill Clinton, who told TUAW reader B. Ioffe that he was an iPhone user while signing his device at a recent rally. Bill said he got his from El Steve himself, which is interesting -- wonder if he asked board member Al Gore first? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
Millions of Muslim faithful will make their pilgrimage to Mecca soon for the Hajj. This year, they'll have Wi-Fi:

Thanks to Aptilo Networks and Tropos Networks, after the estimated three million pilgrims walk seven times counter-clockwise around the Kaaba and kiss (or simply point at) the sacred Black Stone, they can then MapQuest directions to Muzdalifah and perhaps IM a friend or give them a call using VoWi-Fi, so they can meet up and gather the pebbles they will need to perform the ritual of Stoning the Devil at Mina. Pilgrims can also access the streaming video at the official Ministry of Hajj web site, which sagely warns (in English), "Be peaceful, orderly, and kind. No crushing.
Link to Wi-Fiplanet.com item.
Incidentally, on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's website for the Ministry of Hajj, there's one page titled "How modern technology has been employed to facilitate the Hajj." Snip:
A sophisticated broadcasting network has been installed to cope with the requirements of the Hajj. The safety and comfort of the Hajjis has become a major concern for the authorities, necessitated by their sheer volume in recent years. The newly laid floor tiles were made of specially developed heat-resistant marble, and to further ensure the comfort of worshippers the whole structure is cooled by one of the world's largest air-conditioning units.

|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
Filed under: Gaming
DIY virtuoso Johnny Chung Lee has already more than proven himself with his Wiimote whiteboard and finger-tracking hacks (to say nothing of the famous $14 steadycam), but he now looks to have vaulted himself into a whole new league with his latest project, which uses a Wiimote for a full-on VR head-tracking system. As with his other recent hacks, the Wiimote and a sensor bar substitute swap their usual positions, with a pair of IR-equipped safety glasses stylishly getting the job done in this case. Toss in some custom-made software (available at the link below) and you've got a setup that's sure to make anyone's jaw drop. Whatever you do, be sure to hit up the video after the break (and watch 'till the end), as the image above certainly doesn't do it justice. [Via Hack a Day]
Continue reading DIY head-tracker takes Wiimote hacking to dizzying new heights Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
Filed under: Laptops
Sure, Acer may be marketing its Extensa lineup to small business owners, but there's nothing that says bargain hunters can get in on one, too. The 14.1-inch Extensa 4620 comes loaded with Windows XP Professional (sorry, Vista aficionados), 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, a 56k modem, GMA 3100 graphics chipset and a six-cell Li-ion good for around two hours. The first of the two 4620 iterations (that'd be the 6294, break out the pencils!) sports an Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 CPU, while the 4620-4054 rocks a T2310. According to Acer, both of the lappies are available now throughout North America for $799 and $699, respectively.
[Via I4U News] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
Filed under: Transportation
It's always interesting when electronic billboards, kiosks, and other installations go haywire and show you the dark heart of Windows lurking underneath, but it's even more fun when you can actually start poking around -- and it looks like there's a fair bit of poking to do in all those NYC taxis with backseat screens. According to Billy Chasen, dismissing the error message will allow you to get to the Start menu, from which it's trivial to run the Windows Connection Wizard, set up the Sprint broadband card, and start surfing away. Billy could also browse the filesystem -- which may or may not contain credit card data -- and it looks like he even had enough access to install any software he could find online. Hmmm, looks like there's 1000 experience points waiting here for the first person to send in a photo of Engadget on one of these screens -- with a 5000 point bonus if it's in Firefox. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
Filed under: Announcements
We added avatars to our comment redesign this week, how delightful! Did you get the full skinny? Check it out:
Read - New design, now with avatars! Read - How to edit your user profile Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|