Git off bord, kitteh!
VozMe Blogger Widget: Hear Your Posts Read Aloud
UPDATE (11/14/08): I've just replaced VozMe with Odiogo. It's a notably more natural-sounding reading voice. There are some drawbacks however, but also some major advantages in comparison to VozMe. Lookout for a new article on Odiogo soon.VozMe serves to read aloud any length of html text--very accurately. Please click "hear this post" below to try it out. I've added the male voice. To add the VozMe application to your blog/site, follow this exact procedure (available for wordpress and blogger).
VozMe has another great application on its website where you can type a snippet of text and have the application create an mp3 file of the computer male or female voice reading it aloud.
Now, if only I could do the exact same thing, but with my own voice...
What do you think? Does it sound pretty accurate? Should I have used the female voice instead? Let me know in the comments!
Sony Ericsson C905 Youtube Advertisement, SE Announces 3 More in the Walkman Series
Here's a creative youtube advertisement emphasizing the photo, geo-tagging, and GPS capabilities of the upcoming Sony Ericsson C905 I had blogged about a few posts back.
I also found a great preview and 3D spin applet of the C905 on gsmarena.com. Below is a youtube video (via MobileNetCZ) of the C902 hands-on:
Here's few other phones that SE announced this past week (left-to-right): W595, W902, W302. Read another preview article about them on gsmarena.com here.
I also found a great preview and 3D spin applet of the C905 on gsmarena.com. Below is a youtube video (via MobileNetCZ) of the C902 hands-on:
Here's few other phones that SE announced this past week (left-to-right): W595, W902, W302. Read another preview article about them on gsmarena.com here.
Hotspot Shield Amazon Ads Covering Google Ads, Steal Revenue
After hotspot's most recent upgrade, requiring all current users to re-download their program, their ad revenue service changed as well. Now, their amazon ads, for which they receive revenue cover other ads on specific pages and even cover google ads by adsense.
For those who blog, like me, and also run adsense google ads on their blog, hotspot shield acts as a deterrent to possible revenue. Since potential clicks are most likely averted and one wonders if each ad impression even counts.
Updated (10/1/08): Most recent Hotspot Shield articles, video tutorial by Tinkernut.
Spotted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Nissan GT-R (Part 1)
Editor's Note: This isn't the last time I spotted it this summer, click here to see pictures of a white-colored GT-R in the same area a couple weeks later.
I was squealing like a teenage girl at a backstreet boys concert when we passed by it in Desa Sri Hartamas (near Devi's Corner, for those in the know). That's when I proposed we turn around the block while I take some horrible but touched-up (thanks Picasa!) cell phone photos.
From Wikipedia: Nissan claims a top speed of 190 mph (310 km/h) and has been tested to achieve 0-60 mph (97 km/h) times around 3.5 seconds. Apparently, the proposed US-bound version which has still to ship by the end of 2008 will have the top speed limitation removed--a issue that plagues all Japan and ASEAN-region models.
Read reviews here, and here, and watch a review by Edmunds magazine here:
I was squealing like a teenage girl at a backstreet boys concert when we passed by it in Desa Sri Hartamas (near Devi's Corner, for those in the know). That's when I proposed we turn around the block while I take some horrible but touched-up (thanks Picasa!) cell phone photos.
From Wikipedia: Nissan claims a top speed of 190 mph (310 km/h) and has been tested to achieve 0-60 mph (97 km/h) times around 3.5 seconds. Apparently, the proposed US-bound version which has still to ship by the end of 2008 will have the top speed limitation removed--a issue that plagues all Japan and ASEAN-region models.
Read reviews here, and here, and watch a review by Edmunds magazine here:
Wall-E: Environmentalism Propaganda?
I recently watched this movie at the theatres and was astounded at the number of serious themes that Pixar (now owned by Disney) presented to the target audience, children. I have to agree with Wired Magazine's opinion that this is a powerful medium, what the editor calls "[t]he decade's most powerful environmental film".
Brief Plot
Wall-E is set in a truly depressing, dystopic future. A future where Earth's trash has overcome our ability to sustain life on the planet. Where dirt, dust, junk, and cockroaches reign supreme. In midst of the bleak outlook, the largest corporation on earth (BNL--Buy and Large) employs a league of robots called Wall-Es (Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth-Class) to essentially clean up the earth while all the humans are transported to a spaceship for several years in the meantime. During their stay on the spaceship AXIOM (which is also owned and operated by Buy and Large), the humans become progressively lazy in their hover-chairs. Never needing to walk, exercise, and even lift a finger as robot complete all the tasks for them, the humans become morbidly obese.
Major themes: Dystopia, Environmental Impact, Obesity Epidemic, Over-Dependence on Technology, Globalization and Privatization.
See any more serious themes?
Interesting Stuff on Uncrate.com
Here's some of stuff I recently found on Uncrate, a site I visit frequently. They feature a bevy of unusually quirky, retro, and collectible gadgets, clothes, media and odds-and-ends for men.
Sony Ericcsson C905 Phone
Perhaps the only true "Iphone Killer" to ever appear on the cell phone world stage, the C905 is replete with several capabilities that surpass Apple's offering. For one, the phone is a full-fledged 8-megapixel Cyber-shot camera (whereas the Iphone has only a 2MP camera). The photo functions include an actual xenon flash (not LED) and face-detection technology. It comes bundled with Wi-fi for web surfing (that makes use of the phone's internal gyroscope for landscape web-page viewing with a flick or the wrist) and true GPS technology enhanced with Google Maps. Oh and on top of that, it has a great form factor.
(Editor's note: I was all excited for the SE Xperia X1 until seeing this recently. And since I don't have an Iphone, I think this may the next phone for me)
Bacon Floss
When a toothpick just won't flick that piece of gunk from your gums, Bacon Floss might do the trick. The floss string releases small flavor "bombs" of freshly fried bacon. Yummy.
Icon A5 Mini-Plane
Priced at $139,000 USD, the Icon A5 is two-seater sport plane built for the common man. The plane is the perfect form of transportation for a close getaway destination. It folds up perfectly for towing, and uses both car and plane petrol. And for those who have little-to-no experience flying planes, the A5 comes complete with a menagerie of safety features, on top of already being "easy to fly". [Updated 10/29/08: Click here for a youtube video of the A5's first test flight.]
Hotel Tomo
Forget chic hotels designed by Versace or Six-Star hotels in Dubai. If the rise of cosplay cafes, manga, and nintendo/sony fanyboyism are any indication, Japan-esque hotels--with touch of Otaku playfulness--are now fashionably "in". Operated by Joie de Vivre Hotels Group in partnership with the Best Western hotel chain in Japantown, San Francisco, Tomo Hotel pleasantly breaks the mold of the boring hotel with drab colors. Each standard themed room at the Tomo Hotel has a very colorful anime mural on the wall, an ipod-ready alarm clock, a 26-inch LCD TV, and Japanese-inspired furniture by the "Ikea of Japan", Muji. Some of the finer gaming suites feature large sofas, giant projectors, and--of course--several gaming consoles with a nearly limitless library of games.
See Also
NY Times Travel Review of Tomo Hotel
More Photos From Wired Magazine
Want To Book A Room? Click Here
Sony Ericcsson C905 Phone
Perhaps the only true "Iphone Killer" to ever appear on the cell phone world stage, the C905 is replete with several capabilities that surpass Apple's offering. For one, the phone is a full-fledged 8-megapixel Cyber-shot camera (whereas the Iphone has only a 2MP camera). The photo functions include an actual xenon flash (not LED) and face-detection technology. It comes bundled with Wi-fi for web surfing (that makes use of the phone's internal gyroscope for landscape web-page viewing with a flick or the wrist) and true GPS technology enhanced with Google Maps. Oh and on top of that, it has a great form factor.
(Editor's note: I was all excited for the SE Xperia X1 until seeing this recently. And since I don't have an Iphone, I think this may the next phone for me)
Bacon Floss
When a toothpick just won't flick that piece of gunk from your gums, Bacon Floss might do the trick. The floss string releases small flavor "bombs" of freshly fried bacon. Yummy.
Icon A5 Mini-Plane
Priced at $139,000 USD, the Icon A5 is two-seater sport plane built for the common man. The plane is the perfect form of transportation for a close getaway destination. It folds up perfectly for towing, and uses both car and plane petrol. And for those who have little-to-no experience flying planes, the A5 comes complete with a menagerie of safety features, on top of already being "easy to fly". [Updated 10/29/08: Click here for a youtube video of the A5's first test flight.]
Hotel Tomo
Forget chic hotels designed by Versace or Six-Star hotels in Dubai. If the rise of cosplay cafes, manga, and nintendo/sony fanyboyism are any indication, Japan-esque hotels--with touch of Otaku playfulness--are now fashionably "in". Operated by Joie de Vivre Hotels Group in partnership with the Best Western hotel chain in Japantown, San Francisco, Tomo Hotel pleasantly breaks the mold of the boring hotel with drab colors. Each standard themed room at the Tomo Hotel has a very colorful anime mural on the wall, an ipod-ready alarm clock, a 26-inch LCD TV, and Japanese-inspired furniture by the "Ikea of Japan", Muji. Some of the finer gaming suites feature large sofas, giant projectors, and--of course--several gaming consoles with a nearly limitless library of games.
See Also
NY Times Travel Review of Tomo Hotel
More Photos From Wired Magazine
Want To Book A Room? Click Here
My Official Firefox 3 Certificate
This past week, the Mozilla Corporation was very pleased with having beaten a world record for number of downloads of software program, Firefox 3. As I was part of the global effort to achieve that Guinness world record, Mozilla took it upon themselves to send me this official plaque which I've decided I should share with the rest of the world:
:) Just kidding. Everyone can get one of these. Hit up this link for a printable pdf that you, too, can use for geek bragging rights.
:) Just kidding. Everyone can get one of these. Hit up this link for a printable pdf that you, too, can use for geek bragging rights.
Wii Homebrew Channel (in beta)
This is somewhat older news but I think it's fair to point out how far along the wii homebrew scene has come along .The latest exploit allows those with the Zelda Twilight Princess game (such as myself) to be able to run roms from other systems via a built-in wii channel. This hack thus does away with the previous method requiring homebrewers to insert the game disc each time they wanted to use homebrew.
For more info, please see http://hbc.hackmii.com.
DOWNLOAD HOMEBREW CHANNEL HERE
Update (8/21/08): Click here for a Lifehacker how-to article on how to hack your wii to play dvds/play homebrew. It's ridiculously easy to set-up and foolproof. Just remember to have a compatible Zelda game disk and an SD storage card formated to FAT-16. I've already hacked my Wii. The homebrew channel is amazing but what's more amazing is the homebrew browser that lets you download a continuously updated stream of homebrew applications (like Dragon Media player and Mplayer for DVDs and Mp3/Ogg playback), utilities, games (like Quake and Duck Hunt), and other stuff (ftp servers, etc.) Definitely worth the try.
For more info, please see http://hbc.hackmii.com.
DOWNLOAD HOMEBREW CHANNEL HERE
Update (8/21/08): Click here for a Lifehacker how-to article on how to hack your wii to play dvds/play homebrew. It's ridiculously easy to set-up and foolproof. Just remember to have a compatible Zelda game disk and an SD storage card formated to FAT-16. I've already hacked my Wii. The homebrew channel is amazing but what's more amazing is the homebrew browser that lets you download a continuously updated stream of homebrew applications (like Dragon Media player and Mplayer for DVDs and Mp3/Ogg playback), utilities, games (like Quake and Duck Hunt), and other stuff (ftp servers, etc.) Definitely worth the try.
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