“We’ve been hearing quite a bit about next week’s Fall Dashboard Update for the 360, but Microsoft’s finally ready to spill all of the beans. Obviously, the biggest update is the “Xbox Originals” downloadable Xbox games, but other improvements include enhanced online profiles, increased social networking, beefed up parental controls, improved menus, and our personal favorite: DivX support. As stated before, Xbox Original games, like Halo 1 and Fable, will be going for 1200 MS points (about $15), which is roughly comparable with your local game store’s bargain bin. Also on the fiscal side of things, certain titles on Xbox Live Arcade are getting permanent price drops, akin to “Platinum Hits” of retail titles. As for DivX, Microsoft was a little vague when speaking with Joystiq about it, but it sounds like XviD is in play as well, which is just double fun. It’s all hitting as a free download on December 4th, starting at 2AM PST.”
“Windows only: Revo Uninstaller, which Adam declared a must-have Windows app
a few months back, has released a new version that can run from a
folder on any portable storage device. That gives you the same
abilities to quickly, completely wipe programs away and manage
auto-started programs on whichever Windows system you’re working on.
Other new features in both the installed and portable versions include
automatic system restore point creation, an option to start Revo in
“Hunter Mode” on startup, and scalable levels (“safe,” “moderate,” and
“advanced”) when removing junk files. Revo Uninstaller and its portable
version are free downloads for Windows XP, 2000 and Vista systems.”
My roommates and I are big-time tea drinkers,
and this device looks amazing. It’s a perforated cylinder that you can
put loose tea into and then stir into your cup of hot water. $20 seems
a little expensive, but the design is really appealing.
It’s called the “Tea Stick” and its by Chiasso. It’s even spring-loaded to make it snappier to pop open the chamber.
Ayn’s not the only one who wants one, it seems—they’re backordered until the 5th of December.
It’s sort of like the mate drinker’s bombilla, except in reverse. For my loose leaf tea making, I use a simple bamboo tea strainer
that I buy at local stores for less than a buck, slipping a toothpick
into the outside weave so I can prop it on the edge of a big mug.”
“Windows only: Freeware application DVD43 decrypts DVDs and CDs,
removing most copy protections schemes so you can interact with the
media using whatever ripping or copying application you please (similar
to the shareware alternative AnyDVD).
DVD43 runs in your system tray, detects when you’ve inserted a new DVD,
and automatically removes the encryption (the smiley face turns green
when it succeeds). I’ve always had a lot of luck using DVD Shrink to rip and copy DVDs,
but if you’ve ever run into problems working with encrypted DVDs on
your PC, DVD43 is worth a try. DVD43 is freeware, Windows only.”
Digg: “The Pirate Bay just rolled out a new feature to their music section
that makes it easy for users to find similar artists, more albums from
the same artist and upcoming concerts. The data they are using comes
from the popular music community website last.fm and is fully
integrated into the website.”
Another instance of the sick, yet fascinating, side of the insect world…
Slashdot: “Zombie insects might sound like a B-movie plot device
(quicktime video) but to the emerald cockroach wasp (Ampulex compressa
), they’re a tried and tested way to provide food for their hungry
larvae. The wasp relies on cockroaches for its grisly life cycle but
unlike many venomous predators, which paralyze their victims before
eating them, the wasp’s sting leaves the cockroach able to walk, but unable to initiate its own movement.
Researchers have discovered that the wasps sting the cockroaches once
to subdue them, then administer another, more precise sting right into
their victim’s brain. The venom works to block a neurotransmitter
called octopamine with a similar action to dopamine,
which is involved in preparations to execute complex behaviors such as
walking. Then the wasp grabs the cockroach’s antenna and leads it back
to the nest ‘like a dog on a leash’, says one researcher. The team
found that they could restore spontaneous walking behavior in stung
cockroaches by giving them a compound that reactivates octopamine
receptors in the insects’ central nervous system. Researchers were also
able to create their own zombies by injecting unstung cockroaches with
a compound that blocks the receptors producing a similar effect to that
of the venom.”
“How much would you pay for an exceptional brew? $10 a six-pack? $20 a six-pack? How about $5 an ounce? That’s the minimum going rate for Boston Beer’s Samuel Adams Utopias, which retails starting at $120 per 24-ounce bottle.
The country’s most expensive beer is also the strongest. The 2007 edition of the vintage-dated biennial release clocks in at 27 percent alcohol by volume, more than five times the proof of the average American golden lager.
The Utopias container, a ceramic bottle molded to resemble a brew kettle, is a collectible in and of itself. The copper-colored liquid inside hasn’t a bubble of carbonation. The first sensations are a viscous mouth feel and a sweet sherrylike flavor with nuances of toffee and maple. There are notes of vanilla and plum and a hint of charred wood. A long, lingering alcohol burn, more reminiscent of a cognac or brandy than a beer, is followed by a sweet burned-caramel aftertaste.”
Neatorama: “Tay “I move away from the mic to breathe in” Zonday is back with a Dr. Pepper corporate-sponsored updated version of Chocolate Rain and a new professional YouTube video. Yay for Tay.”
This could be useful when looking at pro photos online so you can see what settings the photographer used on their camera when they took the pic…
Lifehacker: “Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): View Exif data
for photos you’re viewing in Firefox—like camera make, model, exposure,
and other technical details—with the FxIF Firefox extension. Once
installed, right-click any image (from the looks of things it needs to
be the original image—not thumbnailed, for example) and click
Properties. In addition to Firefox’s default set of image properties,
FxIF adds the Exif data as well. On the other hand, if you’re only
interested in the Exif data for Flickr pics, check out the Flickr EXIF Decorator Greasemonkey script. FxIF is free, works wherever Firefox does.”
“If your smartphone came with a built-in GPS receiver, you can choose to
just overlook Google’s latest technology, but if your mobile is among
the 85-percent (or so) out there lacking an integrated GPS module,
listen up. The search giant has revealed new software (dubbed My
Location) that enables non-GPS-equipped phones to be pinpointed within
three miles of their actual location. Google is claiming that it can
provide “neighborhood-level” data, and that pressing “0″ while in the
app will enable users to skip the task of entering in a starting
address when looking up directions. Notably, the system is not set up
to collect phone numbers or any other personal details, and for those
still paranoid, it can indeed be switched off. Currently, the tracking
database still has a few gaps to be filled — namely locales in Europe
and all of China / Japan — but Google could very well use the location
data to eventually provide targeted ads to those who use it.”
