KidSmart Talking Smoke Detector

"The KidSmart Vocal Smoke Detector relies on the ‘cocktail party effect,’ where a person’s own name or a familiar voice is more easily discernable even against a great deal of background noise."

The Most Annoying Workplace Cliches

"A new, value-added survey conducted by temporary staffing company Accountemps now gives heightened visibility to the most annoying phrases and buzzwords peppering mind-share sessions throughout corporate America. "

Kenyan school turns to handhelds

"'The E-slates connect via a wireless connection to a base station in the school. This in turn is connected to a satellite radio receiver. The data is transmitted alongside audio signals.' "

RFID in passports

"Wired News reports on a recent non-decision to not encrypt data embedded in next-generation passports."

Hasbro Tooth Tunes toothbrush plays music via bone conduction

"... enter “Tooth Tunes,” a toothbrush that plays a two minute riff to span the ideal amount of brush time recommended by dentists. "

Floaters are the New Pop-Ups

"... pop-ups are pooped out, replaced by those annoying "floaters" that are even more resistant to conventional pop-up blocking software."

Microsoft to nix some Net product activation

"Customers who find themselves reinstalling Windows XP should be ready for a headache: Microsoft will no longer support activating the product over the Internet for PCs which have Windows pre-installed. "

When paying with plastic, why swipe? Just wave

"Visa is hoping to simplify the process of paying with plastic with a new payment technology it introduced Thursday. With the company's new "contactless" system, consumers need only wave credit and debit cards within a few inches of a reader to complete a purchase. And for purchases of less than $25, no signature is required. "

Insider Secrets: Sell smart on eBay

"Tip 1: To bundle or not to bundle Tip 2: Create a good Gallery photo Tip 3: Put a shipping-cost calculator in your auction "

ID theft victims face lifetime of vigilance

"More than 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft last year, crimes that cost the nation roughly $5 billion not including lost productivity, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Federal Trade Commission ranks identity theft as the No. 1 fraud-related complaint."

Solar Tower of Power Finds Home

"Announced several years ago, the 3,280-foot Solar Tower is one of the most ambitious alternative energy projects on the planet: a renewable energy plant that pumps out the same power as a small reactor but is totally safe. If built, it will be nearly double the height of the world's tallest structure, the CN Tower in Canada. "

Proof That (Almost) No One Reads End User License Agreements

Samsung washing machine disinfects, doesn’t wrinkle clothes

Courts question anti-piracy rule

"The US broadcast regulator has been told by appeal judges it has 'crossed the line' with an anti-piracy tag which stops programmes being copied. "

Apple pipes in new iPods

"The company introduced a higher-capacity, 6GB Mini, along with new 30GB and 60GB iPod Photo models, which can use an adapter to connect directly to digital cameras and display photos. The Minis also feature a boost in battery life. "

Adware maker joins federal privacy board

"The Department of Homeland Security has named Claria [Gator!], an adware maker that online publishers once [still] dubbed a "parasite," to a federal privacy advisory board. "

IBM project pushes for OS multiplicity

"IBM has quietly added a new option to the suddenly vogue market for "hypervisor" software that lets a computer run multiple operating systems simultaneously, CNET News.com has learned."

Track down non-operating system services

"However, there's a little-known feature in the System Configuration Utility that can quickly identify non-operating system services for you. "

Adware makers threaten critics

"It's bad enough that adware, which can have negative effects on our PCs, has already infected an astonishing number of machines — 80% in one U.S. study. Now, on top of everything else, adware makers are pressuring anti-adware advocates to stop listing their programs as candidates for removal."

Finding a replacement for passwords

"There's plenty of technology that could augment or replace the password, from smart cards to password-generating tokens to cell phone-based systems. They have yet to catch on. One hurdle is that it can be inconvenient to have to keep a piece of hardware handy. But the real problem, analysts said, is that neither businesses nor consumers appear ready to pay for them. "

"I'm Jason, and I've become an online photo sharing addict."

"I'd attribute Flickr's popularity to two intertwined core features: a carefully crafted interface and the large community that has developed around a common platform for online photos."

Adam Curry Wants to Make You an iPod Radio Star

"He's gone from MTV to MP3, and now he's leading a grassroots rebellion called podcasting. Why amateurs may soon rule the airwaves (begin download now)."

People Hanging Up On Call Centers

"It really is a pain to try to call in anywhere for customer support these days. Hold times seem longer. The horrible front end menus are impossible and the people you speak to tend not to be very helpful. A new study has shown that more people are hanging up rather than going through the whole process."

Can't Stop Identity Theft When It's Someone Else's Fault

"For years, despite all the stories about the things you should do to prevent identity theft, it's been clear that the real problem is rarely the end user. "

Toys to Please the Inner Geek

"... the American International Toy Fair hosted an abundance of techie goodies that could appeal to anyone's inner geek."

Public library lends out book-filled iPod Shuffles

Dyson’s new vacuum cleaner orders its own replacement parts

"... what it does is alert you when there’s a problem, and then you’re supposed to dial a special number at Dyson HQ and hold your phone up the vacuum cleaner."

Alarm over pharming attacks: identity theft made even easier

"... pharming is simply a new name for a relatively old concept: domain spoofing."

Google's toolbar sparks concern

"Search engine firm Google has released a trial tool which is concerning some net users because it directs people to pre-selected commercial websites."

Fighting the Broadcast Flag

"...the Broadcast Flag probably won’t do much to stop online “piracy”—people will still find plenty of ways to obtain the TV shows they want online—and is more likely to cause a ton of inconvenience and frustration for the average viewer when they can’t get their DVR to work with their TV."

The HP BIOS that locks non-whitelisted mini-PCI cards out?

"...apparently his HP laptop’s BIOS has a mini-PCI card whitelist—upgrade the card with a non-HP-approved device, and your laptop won’t boot."

Megazooka(!)

This is one cool toy. It shoots self-replicating torroidal vortices (think smoke rings) for way far. I have the smaller, original version, the Airzooka, and it can indeed mess up someone's hair at 10 feet. Someone once said it's like "being punched by a ghost". If no one buys me one of these bad boys for my birthday, I'll get one myself. As my dad says: "from me to me with love."

Glucon Glucose Monitoring Watch

"...uses an ultrasound unit to identify blood vessels in the arm, then pinging the vein with a laser to determine sugar levels."

Mobile PC - Features - The Top 100 Gadgets of All Time

Greetings From the Most Connected Place on Earth

"South Korea: Where broadband is cheap, and the gaming is easy."

Yahoo! sends driving directions to your phone

"Hit the “Send to Phone” link on their Yahoo! maps page and you’ll get the data via SMS, with images also available with your data connection"

University Launches Semantic Web Interface

"The researchers say this means users will no longer have to wade through lists of undifferentiated data when researching a subject."

The Return Of The Pop-Up Ad

" ...pop-up advertisers have finally defeated the pop-up blocking functionality found in many browsers"

Dangerous Terms: A User's Guide to EULAs

"They're called End User License Agreements, or EULAs. Sometimes referred to as "shrinkwrap" or "click-through" agreements, they are efforts to bind consumers legally to a number of strict terms – and yet you never sign your name."

First Look: Drive Etches Sharp CD/DVD Labels

"HP DVD Writer 640i uses LightScribe technology to burn professional-looking disc labels."

Free Tech Support

Get some help -- or if you're an alpha geek, offer to donate some time.

Anti-Spyware Testing (Guide)

See which spyware detectors cut the mustard. (hint: it takes more than one)

Microsoft Warns of New Security Threat

"System monitoring programs, called rootkits, may pose a serious danger to your PC."

Robots hit stride with human walk

"The latest robots that walk like humans - that familiar staple of science fiction films - have been demonstrated by scientists from the US and Holland. "

More Watchful, Probably Not Safer

"Instead of more technologies, the experts and authors argue, we need smarter technologies. And we also need to know when to forego technology altogether in favor of human-based solutions. "

Moving Down The Fraud Progression Line

"A new study points out the completely unsurprising news that criminals seem to be moving down the fraud progression line from riskier, less lucrative crimes, to ones that have a higher payout at a lower risk."

Nanotech Based Display

"... uses a nanotechnology process to create a more paper-like image than traditional LCD screen"

Serial Burglar Caught on Webcam

"The evidence was made available to the police even though the computer itself had been stolen"

Infineon develops “thinking carpet” that tracks movement

"German carpet company Vorwerk Teppichwerke has teamed up with Infineon Technologies to come up with a prototype rug that uses embedded sensors to do everything from demarcate off-limits areas to sound alerts if intruders enter through a window. "

California Wants GPS Tracking Device in Every Car

"California has a new excuse for more taxes. Claiming losses due to fuel-efficient cars, such as Gasoline/Electric Hybrids, California is cooking-up a new system to punish people who aren't using enough gasoline."

Rich pickings for hi-tech thieves

"Viruses, trojans and other malicious programs sent on to the net to catch you out are undergoing a subtle change. "

Simply Safe Backup 2005

Good freeware backup program for those who don't want to do a complete disk copy (the ultimate backup): burns to CD/DVD or saves to disk/FTP; automatically backs up Outlook Express when that option is chosen; other things to backup would be desktop(s), My Documents folder(s); Favorites folder(s), whatever else deemed necessary.

Five new programs that let you search your hard drive without having a seizure.

"Desktop search applications work a lot like the search function that's already built into the Windows Start Menu, but they're much quicker. They're also smarter about sifting through your e-mail, music files, browser history, and other special data formats."

What high-definition will do to DVDs

"... when high-definition films do come out on the new format DVDs, it will profoundly change home entertainment. "

Firefly emergency cellphone for kids

"... dedicated mom and dad call buttons, a 20-number phonebook, a backpack hook, and, of course, a 911 button."

McAffee wants your WiFi secure

"You can download their new free WiFiScan app as a plugin for IE (yes, we’ll go on record as saying there are a lot of unaware Windows users who probably could use something like this) which will do things like detect ”evil twin” networks and analyze local security settings."

London officials planting tracking chips in trash bins

"Although the chips are currently set just to keep tabs on collections, residents have already been told that authorities may be able to use them to monitor trash levels and warn those who are deemed to be producing too much that they need to “manage their rubbish more effectively.”"

Wearable Warnings Electro-shock Coat

"The charged fur stands on end, sending the universal "back off" message that any one who's ever tried bathing a cat should be familiar with."

New Privacy Issues With Camera Enforcement

"If you think, "I don't speed or run lights so I don't need to worry about this" -- think again."

Why Email Is Dead

"For every bleeding-edge wired executive, there are 20 business people just trying to prevent their stupid email program from crashing again."

Database giant gives access to fake firms

"Criminals posing as legitimate businesses have accessed critical personal data stored by ChoicePoint Inc., a firm that maintains databases of background information on virtually every U.S. citizen, MSNBC.com has learned. "

Post-It Notes Go Mobile

"Researchers at Siemens are calling new technology "digital graffiti," though it's not really graffiti. It's more like a mobile phone version of the omnipresent Post-it notes."

A wireless world on the horizon

"Manufacturers are hoping to make 2005 the year of the 'simple set-up'. "

Dock-N-Talk: Convergence Awaits

"... allows you to use any standard corded (or cordless) phone to make calls over your cell phone or landline."

Kicking Out The Bandwidth Hogs

"...they no longer say the service is "unlimited" and are not using a "fuzzy cap" where you have no idea if you're at risk until they kick you off..."

Ego-Surfing, Kidnapped Child Finds Self On Google

"Who says ego-surfing isn't useful?"

Deloitte identifies top 10 trends

"1. Nanotechnology becomes mainstream"

Isn't "rights management" an oxymoron?

"I wouldn't buy food that can be cooked only in a GE microwave. I wouldn't buy a car that I could drive only while wearing Adidas shoes. "

Toddler Keys - lock keyboard and CD drives

"When the keyboard is used it will display images and play sounds every time a key is pressed, thereby preventing access to the desktop and applications, while adding some entertainment value for the kid."

The Interactive Tablecloth

"The halo slowly expands the longer the object is left in place."

Hasbro to produce updated Furby

"... the new model will feature more lifelike emotions, be able to simulate breathing (creepy!), and will have what’s described as amazing “beak flexibility...”"

Quattro Multi-Function Clock

"Then it gets even betterer: a wirelessly connected teddy bear triggers the alarm's snooze function when you give it a hug."

CinemaNow to Offer Television Episode Downloads

"... real question will be price, of course."

Jigsaw Puzzle Alarm Clock

"... possibly the most obnoxious feature set possible in an alarm clock..."

EZPower Universal Remote: No Batteries Required

"... give the knob at the bottom a few turns and you'll have enough juice to power the EZPower for a week at a time." [if it takes this little juice, why not go with solar cells? probably because solar cells don't work when the remote is lodged deep in the couch cushions]

Senseless Acts of Sensorship: Bum Auto Sensors Cause Glitches

<"We once had a bad sensor that made our City Corolla (TM) answer our pleas for acceleration with a droning noise that sounded distinctly like Ray Romano saying “no way Jose.” "

Rodney King Style Cameraphone Video Gets Creator Beaten As Well

"...someone (who just happened to be a documentary film producer) saw a traffic warden beating on a taxi driver who failed to stop"

Online Distance Learning: Empowering Or Deprofessionalizing Education?

"The issue of online distance education seems to bring out very different opinions from different people -- and with good reason."

Oh Wait, Now That We're Slower, Speed No Longer Matters...

"Broadband Reports notes that a cable company representative is now downplaying the importance of speed in an internet connection."

Map24 - Maps and Driving Directions for USA, Canada and Europe

Java-based interactive map system. Very cool, impressive level of detail. It claimed I didn't have a java virtual machine installed, but I told it to go ahead anyway, and things worked fine.

Sorry, Your Brain Says We Shouldn't Hire You

"Slate reports that brain-imaging technology, already used for lie detection and 'neuromarketing,' is moving into new, nonmedical territory that could be ethically treacherous."

How Many People Read Or Buy From Spam?

"Apparently 14% of spam recipients read the spam they get, with a total of 4% admitting to buying from spam."

Techdirt:Mobile Phones Make You Absolutely Crazy

"What is it about mobile phones that make people absolutely nuts?"

Critics To Diebold: But Your Software Still Sucks

"...the company's software is still a disaster that has many, many, many, many, many problems."

Help Function Patent In Japan Means All Copies Of Word Processor Get Destroyed

"Because the help function of a word process and graphics program violates a patent, the entire program must be destroyed."

Turning the Tables on Spammers

"...they plan to take their fight out of the inbox to the spammers themselves with technologies that gather evidence they need to sue the bad actors and send them to jail."

Information Wants to be Liquid

"Hegland's project, Liquid Information, is kinda like Wikipedia meets hypertext. In Hegland's web, all documents are editable, and every word is a potential hyperlink. "

Congress Puts Spyware on Hit List

"The powerful House Commerce Committee on Wednesday made anti-spyware legislation a top priority, with members hoping to vote it out of committee in the next two to three weeks."

Hold the Phone, VOIP Isn't Safe

"...the inference is that "spit" (spam over internet telephony) is just around the corner. Certainly, the ability to send out telemarketing voicemail messages with the same ease as blanket e-mails makes for appealing economics. "

Atom Feed

If you're into Atom/RSS, the feed for this blog is http://technoinfo.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Googling the Bottom Line

"...the difference between a high and low ranking can literally be the difference between a thriving online business and Chapter 11"

Use A Regular Phone For Cellphone Calls

"...Cell Socket, a cradle for your cellphone that can be used to attach your cell line to one or more regular phones"

London judge sentences defendant by phone

Talk about “phoning it in.”

National PC Recycling Plan Proposed, Again

National PC Recycling Plan Proposed, Again "Two U.S. Representatives have resuscitated a bill to enact a national recycling program for electronic waste, following the successful launch of two state-run programs. "

I'll take three.

RED HERRING | The hundred-buck PC: "The founder and chairman of the MIT Media Lab wants to create a $100 portable computer for the developing world. "

First Artificial Neon Sky Show Created

First Artificial Neon Sky Show Created