news archive - markpascua.com

Archive for the 'news' Category

Mar

Nintendo Wii, no likey second hand smoke

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: news and video games

Here’s an interesting story. The Boston Herald is reporting that second-hand cigarette smoke causes the laser in the Wii, that reads the game discs, to malfunction. Apparently, the smoke dirties the lens preventing the Wii from loading certain game discs properly. Nintendo has offered to clean up any affected Wii’s at no extra charge.

Nintendo is saying that the problem is more prominent when reading large capacity, dual layered discs, like the newly released “Super Smash Bros. Brawl“. A cleaned lens should fix the issue.

Not only is smoking bad for your health, it also kills your Nintendo Wii. Who knew?

Via: Boston Herald

Mar

Hulu: Now open to public

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: news and reviews

Hulu is a brand new online video website, created by NBC and News Corp. Hulu makes TV shows available all in one place. No need to visit each individual network website just to watch your favorite show. There is also no need to download any additional software or player, it’s all flash-based. It’s also got some major TV network backing: NBC, FOX, Bravo, FX, Sci Fi, G4, and USA, to name a few. I’m pretty sure we’ll see more networks jumping on the bandwagon soon.

As far as the site goes, after registering, you’re greeted with Hulu’s rather simple and clean interface. You can browse the available TV shows, which are conveniently sorted alphabetically and by network. To my delight, I was shocked to see movies up on the site for viewing. Granted, the movies are “kinda old” (movies that show on TV for free), but it is still nice to be able to watch some old favorites of mine, like Requiem of a Dream. In all, you can watch shows, short clips, trailers, and movies. There is an HD section, but at the moment it’s just a bunch of movie trailers. Quality wise, the video compression is pretty good. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, I’d rate the quality at a solid 7. It is certainly watchable, way better than the “illegal” YouTube video clips we see everyday. Hulu also provides basic video controls, you can pause, skip, rewind, and fast forward. You can also full-screen and even embed the video on your own website or blog — which was surprising.

Update (3/12/08) : It has come to my attention that you can also ‘clip’ shows and send the snippets to your friends and family via email or post it on your website, blog, myspace, facebook, etc.

Hulu is ad-supported, however, while watching a movie, I was asked if I wanted to watch the commercial before or during the video. Watching the ads before hand allows uninterrupted viewing. Pretty cool. I liked having the option of choosing how the ads are displayed to me.

I’d love to see more networks join Hulu. Honestly, this could put a major dent in the BitTorrenting of TV shows, assuming they get the shows up online in a reasonable manner. Catching up on your missed TV shows has never been easier.

[Hulu]

Mar

Panasonic to make Wii-proof TVs

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: monitors/tvs, news and video games

Panasonic seems well aware of the amount of broken TVs the Nintendo Wii has caused. To help combat the problem, Panasonic plans go back and use the old-school method of TV making. Basically, the plan is to use thicker, high-strength CRT glass on all of its flat-screen displays.

“In a demonstration for New Scientist at a seminar in Valencia, Spain, Panasonic hung a 250-gram steel ball on the end of a cord and let it swing 40 centimetres onto a screen to simulate an impact equivalent to the Wii remote being thrown hard at the screen from across a room.

Even after a wince-inducing 1000 strikes on the same spot, the glass remained intact and unmarked. By contrast, a conventional flat screen cracked after a single strike, exposing its electronic innards to the atmosphere and stopping it working.”

Hopefully, the new TVs will remain thin and sexy. Though, it is nice to hear one TV manufacturer helping the gamers out.

Via: New Scientist [Image via Wii Damage]

Mar

3M ultra tiny and portable projector

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: news

3M has been working with a secret partner (they won’t reveal who) to develop an ultra tiny projector capable of displaying images up to 50 inches wide. Pretty amazing for something the size of a matchbook. 3M says the secret to the technology is the lighting engine. 3M wants to be the first to market the tiny and portable projector saying it will sell the device for $300 to $400 at first, then prices should fall to $150 five years later.

So, I guess we should be getting ready to see built-in projectors on our cell phones? Cool, count me in.

Via: Gizmodo

Mar

Solar-power paint

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: concepts, household, misc. gadgets and news

Researchers in the UK are developing a method to “paint” solar cells onto buildings as if you were applying a traditional coat of paint on steel. The group hopes to develop a technique that allows them to apply the solar-power paint as the steel sheets pass through rollers, which would allow them to apply photovoltaic paint at up to 40 square meters per minute. To save costs, they plan to use dye-sensitized solar cells, instead of silicon to absorb the sunlight - like conventional solar panels. By using dye molecules attached to particles of titanium, it gives electrons an energy boost which transfers from the dye into a layer of electrolyte. This then transfers the extra energy into a collecting circuit, before looping back again. Though less efficient, the dye-sensitized approach is less expensive and can be applied as liquid. Researchers are estimating two-and-a-half years before commercially available.

So, does this mean I can apply solar-power paint to my iPod in a couple years? Probably not, but I can dream, can’t I?

Via: New Scientist Tech

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Mar

17 months old baby can read

By mark 2 Comments

Categories: news and videos

Okay, I know this isn’t tech related. But I ran into the this Neatorama post about a 17-month old baby that can read like a 7-year old. Elizabeth Barrett has been read stories to her since she was young by her two speech pathologist parents. Her mother, Kathy, is convinced sign language has helped Elizabeth learn to read by watching “Signing Time” on TV. For play time, Kathy likes to write down random words for her daughter to read. Even the interviewer and camera man tested Elizabeth by writing down words for her to read. At one point, the interviewer opened a magazine and tested the kid. She read like a champ.

Update: If you are interested in watching Signing Time with your child. Visit this page to see when the show is airing in your area. Just scroll to the middle of the page and enter your zip code. -Thanks, Janel!

Via: Neatorama

Feb

IBM 8Tbps bandwidth technology

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: news

IBM has developed a new type of low-powered wire connection capable of delivering 8Tbps. IBM’s new technology “merges optical chips and data buses into a single arrangement” and is cable of streaming 5,000 high definition movies simultaneously. The new digital chips consumes the same amount of power as a 100-Watt light bulb. Wow.

Initially, IBM plans to implement the new digital connection to back-end servers delivering HD or large sized content. Consumer application of the new optical links is being considered.

I can see the Bittorent pirates having a field day once this reaches mainstream.

Via: Computer Weekly

Feb

ACU arming students with iPhones/iPod Touch

By mark 0 Comments

Categories: apple and news

Abilene Christian University in Texas is the first university in the U.S. to provide incoming freshmen with either an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. Their reason: to allow students to “receive homework alerts, answer in-class surveys and quizzes, get directions to their professors’ offices, and check their meal and account balances.” The forward-thinking school aims to not only give out devices, but also intends on developing new web based software to further aid academic learning. Abilene Christian University’s high tech approach to learning is captured in the school-made video called “Connected,” which you can watch here.

I wish my college gave out free tech gadgets for enduring the 4-years of pain. I’m sure ACU will be getting a flood of new applicants this upcoming Fall term.

Read ACU’s press release.

Via: TUAW