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The Power Geeks #95

by DarthMolen on Apr.06, 2011, under UberDork Cafe

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We are LIVE on Ustream . This week we discuss ebooks vs. paper, Superman rebooted, Jesus loves hackers, and Japanese earthquake continues to affect tech……

Intro Natali
Intro Matt Kramer

Items of Interest

  • If you have an item that is epicly awesome that should be featured in this section, contact the show at darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and we’ll see about getting it on the air
  • April Fool’s Day Items From Across The IntarWebs (udg)
    • April Fool’s Day is a favorite day for many. For me it marks the day I actually found out I was prego with lilest and yes the ex thought it was a prank. I pretty much completely missed it this year and if you did too, here are a couple of great things the IntarWebs had to offer this year.
    • ThinkGeek was at it again this year with Playmobil Apple Store Playset, Angry Birds Pork Rinds and Minecraft USB Desktop Nether Portal.
      • Google always shows up to the April Fools Party and this year included Google China claiming to have invented teleportation and Gmail unveiling Gmail Motion- where you can email using body gestures. That one may be kind of fun. >;-) And Chromercise- an exercise regimen for your hands and fingers you know so they can keep up with Google’s “Lightening Fast” browser.
      • YouTube showcased the top viral pictures of 1911
      • World of Warcraft showed up too- Blizzard has announced the advent of a Dungeon Helper, affectionately called “Crabby,” who will give you tips when you’re stuck and encouragement no matter what.
      • Toshiba announced the Toshiba Spectacle, the world’s first and only 3D monocle. “Ready to take movies and games to the next level? Imagine being right in the middle of an action movie scene, or right on the basketball court during the playoffs! With the Spectacle, you’ll experience one-eyed 3D so real, you’d think you were using both eyes!”
  • Thundercats HO!
    • Saw the new trailer and its an interesting blend of old and new…
    • (who you callin’ a ho? -udg)

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Deals of the Week / New Release

Movie Minute (new feature)

Geek Speak

Hacker vs. Cracker-

    • Modern day Hackers have managed to rack up a rep for piracy, sabotage and leaking sensitive secrets, but an authoritative Vatican publication appears to rehabilitate them and traces parallels between hacker philosophy and the teachings of Christianity.
    • The surprisingly charitable view of hackers was expressed by the Jesuit priest Father Antonio Spadaro in an article for the fortnightly magazine Civilta Cattolica, the text of which is gets a once over from the Vatican Secretariat of State prior to publication.
    • “Hackers should not be confused with crackers”, Spadaro wrote, citing a definition penned by tech writer Eric S. Raymond: “Hackers build things, crackers break them.”
    • Hacker philosophy is playful but committed, encourages creativity and sharing, and opposes models of control, competition and private property, Spadaro observed approvingly.
    • The Jesuit priest, a literary critic and technology expert, also cited Tom Pittman, a member of California’s Homebrew Computer Club, as an example of someone seeking a creative fusion of Christianity and technology.
    • “I as a Christian thought I could feel something of the satisfaction that God must have felt when He created the world,” Pittman wrote of his work. Christian hackers, Spadaro said, viewed their work as “a form of participation in the ‘work’ of God in creation.”
    • Hacker mentality implies a joyful application of intelligence to problem solving, rejecting the concept of work as repetitive, burdensome and stupid, Spadaro wrote. Hacker ethics rejected a capitalistic, profit-oriented approach to work, eschewing idleness but favoring a flexible, creative approach that was respectful of the human dimension and natural rhythms, he said.
    • “Under fire are control, competition, property. It’s a vision that is … of a clear theological origin,” Spadaro observed.
    • He went on to emphasize hackers’ ingrained distrust of authority and praise the collaborative knowledge-sharing model of Wikipedia.
    • The debate reflects a growing attention within the Catholic Church to the evolution of modern communications technologies, which Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged his followers to harness for the dissemination of the Catholic faith
    • It’s a really interesting article that I highly encourage you to read through.

Digital eBooks vs. Real Books

Tech, Gaming, and Geek New

  • Set Phasers to Stun!!! For Realz! (SM)
    • Researchers have now come up with a system that stuns by using only light
    • The device is a 75 watt lamp focused and sent at a certain frequency into the retina
    • Researchers claim that the stun can last seconds or even minutes
    • Tasers work at 12-15 feet, this can work up to 150 ft away
    • (guess they never heard of sunglasses or turning away)
    • One step closer to Star Trek…
  • Epsilon Hacked- Yup, It Probably Affects You (udg)
    • Hackers struck gold late last week when they tapped into the customer database for marketing services giant Epsilon.  Why should you care? Well odds are it affects you.
    • So- who is Epsilon? In short, they are the peeps that send out more than 40 billion emails annually for their clients. Clients like Target, Capitol One, Kroger’s, JP Morgan Chase, Best Buy, TiVo, an array of major hotel reward programs, Walgreen’s and MANY more. They are, in fact, the world’s largest “Permissions-Based” email marketing company. And now millions of email addresses and names have been stolen from their company’s 2500 client customer data base.
    • How do you know if you’ve been affected? Well laws like the California Database Breach Act require that customers have to be informed if their data is compromised. I’ve already received word from Best Buy’s Rewards Program and Target. Chances are you’ve already received one of your own from one of the clients. If not, it may still be coming.  Epsilon also won’t reveal how many of its customers were affected; only that it is 2 percent of its clients.
    • What does this all mean? The Hacker(s) have names, e-mail addresses, points balances in certain cases and now knows who all of Epsilon’s clients are. You may be thinking “eh it’s just my email address, so what?”  Well, it’s kind of a big deal. Give me 10 minutes and I can snag the official logos of every major company they serve. I can set up a anonymous gmail account to sign up for all the company’s programs and receive official emails from them. Then, go into photoshop or hell even Word and construct an email that looks exactly like the official email and before you know it, people are clicking on them thinking they are from the legitimate source and I’m snagging passwords, addresses, maybe even bank account information. This is the start of a potentially huge phishing operation. ESPECIALLY when banks and credit cards are involved.
    • I encourage everyone to pay VERY close attention to the emails they receive over the next year from anyone associated with Epsilon. MAKE SURE  THEY ARE LEGIT OR DON’T CLICK.
  • IPod Production Troubled Halt Over Earthquake Interruptions (SM)
    • We’re all device jun
    • Lithium Ion batteries use a  key ingredient, Polymer (PVDF), to bind the different elements together
    • Used to bind the different elements together. It’s a small percentage but vital
    • Kureha Corp., based near the epicenter in Japan, owns 70% of the market
    • Its not as easy as changing manufacturers either or a different polymer, chemistry is weird that way
    • The WSJ is claiming only IPod manufacturing is affected… but a lot more stuff than that is Li-Ion.
    • Yet another way the earthquake has affected our lives :(
    • (It also has led to production disruptions for the PSP2- udg)
  • What’s Up With Sony? (MK)
    • Sony Closing 3 Game Studios & Cutting 205 Jobs
      • Earlier rumor that Sony Online Entertainment was about to make some big cuts has turned out to be true. 205 jobs total will be lost and the Denver, Seattle and Tuscon studios all closed down. Sony has also decided to cancel the online game The Agency that has been in development for several years now.
      • All existing titles will remain live so you may continue to play them as normal. As for future game development, two MMOs will now be the focus. The first is based on the PlanetSide IP, and the second on the always-popular Everquest IP.
      • Fewer projects mean less people required and ultimately fewer studios have work, hence the closures. As far as an impact on gamers is concerned, the only noticeable difference is that The Agency will no longer be appearing on store shelves.
    • Meanwhile they manage to piss off Anonymous
      • If you’ve been following the saga between Sony and George “GeoHot” Hotz, you know that Sony is kinda ticked with him for cracking the long uncracked PS2 and has been publicly targeting him with legal action. Then they turned around and offered a job to another prominent hacker who turned them down based on their treatment of Hotz.
      • Well, all of this has now gotten the attention of the infamous hacker group Anonymous and not in a good way. They’ve now officially declared war on Sony:
        • “Congratulations, Sony. You now have now received the undivided attention of Anonymous. Your recent legal action against our follow hackers, Geohot and Graf_Chokolo, has not only alarmed us, it has been deemed wholly unforgivable. You have now abused the judicial system in an attempt to censor information on how your products work. You have victimised your own customers merely for possessing and sharing information, and continue to target every person who seeks this information. In doing so you have violated the privacy of thousands. This is the information they were willing to teach the world for free. The very same information you wish to suppress for sake of corporate greed and complete control of the users. Now you will experience the wrath of Anonymous. You saw a hornets nest, and stuck your penises in it. You must face the consequences of your actions, Anonymous style. Knowledge is Free. We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not Forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.”
    • Playstation Relief Efforts Raise 1.3M for Japan
      • Sony has announced that donation efforts for the Japan tsunami and earthquake from PlayStation Network have raised over $1 million.
      • Over ¥109.6 million (approximately $1.3 million) has been raised from the effort, which has allowed PlayStation Network users to donate through the PlayStation Store.
      • All of the money raised from the drive, which has been in effect in over 40 countries, will go to the American Red Cross’s Japanese relief fund, the British Red Cross in Europe, and the Central Community Chest of Japan.
  • Algebra II Closer to Being Mandatory (SM)
    • Studies are showing that out of all the classes in High School, Algebra II is the leading indicator on success later in a career
    • Indicators: 84% of ppl in top-tier jobs took Algebra II, 50% in bottom tier took it
    • Whether this is just purely “more education” or actual math skills that translate, ppl are still debating
    • (SM) My thoughts: Math stimulates thinking, your mind grows as you do it, only good things can come from exercising your brain
    • Thoughts?
  • Woah! Adobe Demos PhotoShop for iPad (udg)
    • Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly want the iPad 2 any more than I already do…
    • Adobe and Apple may have had issues in the past over Apple refusing to allow the iPad to run Flash, but that hasn’t halted their relationship. In fact Adobe has been hard at work developing a pretty kick ass version of Photoshop for the iPad. They currently offer an app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad called Photoshop Express. But, this new app is so much more.
    • Check out the video taken at Photoshop World 2011 and you’ll see Adobe didn’t just try to port over the features of the desktop version, but that it knows and behaves like it’s a touchscreen app. And it’s not some dinky toy either. No word on when this will be released or what they are planning on calling it. And I’m sure that there are hardcore graphic designers that will scoff at it. But, it will definitely make it hard for the naysayers to continue to state that the iPad is devise for consumption, not creation.
  • Gamestop buys Impulse (SM)
    • Impulse was owned by Stardock and is a little brother to Steam
    • Originally created to distribute their games but was opened to other 3 years ago
    • Why is this important? Gamestop has already said their future hinges on digital distribution
    • last month, Digital downloads accounted for 40% of the revenue in the gaming industry
    • Gamestop did 300 million last year alone, 1.5 billion 4 years from now is estimate
    • Impulse gives them ready-made technology to effec that plan and challenge Valve in that arena
    • Gamestop also aquired Spawn Labs, a peer-to-peer gaming service
  • GM Cows produce Human-like milk (SM)
    • The chinese have created genetically modified cows that produce “human-like” milk
    • Human milk has a nutrient and protein mix that is very unique for infant consumption
    • These cows, are created through cloning processes where human genes are injected into the embryo before being re-planted into the mothers
    • The Chinese have made 300 of these bovine and are physically identical to regular cattle
    • Scientists insist that genetically modified food poses no threats but there are tons of debates on the matter
    • Bladerunner anyone???
    • (Seriously freakin’ creepy & I have a tiny rant. I’ll keep it relatively bleep free for ya though :) :) :) – udg) (and its by the chinese :P )
  • PopCap Launches 4th & Base (udg)
    • If you’ve ever played Bejeweled or Plans vs Zombies, than you get why PopCap has a reputation for releasing polished games.  The formulas behinds these games may seem simple, but the development cycle is incredibly time consuming. Which is why we haven’t seen Plants vs Zombies 2 yet.
    • Guess what though- PopCap has announced an initiative to get us games quicker- welcome 4th and Battery, a self-proclaimed indie label within the company dedicated to rapidly prototyping and releasing smaller, less full-featured games.
    • “4th & Battery is a pressure valve intended to keep our heads from exploding,” explained Ed Allard, executive vice president of studios at PopCap.  4th & Battery gives us a way to quickly try really strange or marginal ideas, and to give our designers a safe area to hone their chops.”
    • PopCap’s describing these games as being like short films, or B-sides, and they are launching with a game called Unpleasant Horse, in which players become a horse with wings that, as you probably guessed, kills birds. Maybe not full-game material, but it should be available free of charge on the iOS App Store later this month.

What major electronics company doesn’t have a tablet?  You guessed it, Sony!  There have been rumors of one since 2010 when Apple announced the iPad, but there was nothing confirmed until mid-February.

While skeptical over their software capabilites, Engadget been assured that Sony’s work is cutting edge stuff created by a talented engineering team spanning Sony’s VAIO, Reader, PlayStation, and Sony Ericsson product groups.

The team is lead by the VAIO organization but will probably launch as a Sony product without VAIO branding, according to one source. The tablet itself, we’re told, is 100 percent focused on Qriocity, Sony’s music, games, ebooks, and videos on demand service that’s just been launched in Europe. It comes preloaded with Sony PS One games, a Bravia Media Remote, and yes, PlayStation integration

The tablet’s “wrap” design is meant to remind the owner of something personal in the way that it mimics an open paperback stuffed into the back pocket, or a magazine folded backward upon itself such that only a single page is visible to read. Even though the S1 is about the same size and weight as Apple’s iPad, we’re told that it feels lighter since most of the weight is shifted directly into the user’s hand and over the wrist.

It features a 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution.  It also features both front- and rear-facing cameras as well as a USB-A port that plays host to USB thumb drives or media devices. The only physical buttons — volume and on / off — are located on the edge of each indented side.  There’s an IR port built-in allowing you to control devices other than your Bravia TV.

Price and ship date?  The target for the WiFi-only version was meant to match the iPad, but the price has been bumped to $599 with a September ship date.

  • Bike to the Future (udg)
    • If you’re listening to this, odds are when you go to buy a new gadget- it’s gotta be the best, most advanced one out there. You know- fastest PC, skinniest highest res TV, deadliest robot butler (you know they bring you your slippers AND the heads of your enemies!)
    • Well, I’ve got the next bike for you. We’re talking hybrid electric from M55. Their first mechanized monster is so badass, it’s named The Beast AND it lives up to it. Exercise isn’t your thing? Not a problem- The Beast takes the “work” out of working out. Its motor doesn’t throttle on like a motorcross dirt bike. It churns into action as soon as you start pedaling, giving your feeble legs a bionic  boost.
    • The motor on this badboy is so bad, you can tear up hills without having to stand while pedaling. In fact, the drive system is powerful enough that if you’re really jamming on a straight-away, you can travel at almost 50 mph. Yeah, I said it: 50 mph. On a bicycle!
    • If you decide to grab an M55, do us all a favor and remember that sometimes life sucks and so do uneven paved surfaces. Wear a helmet. If  my calculations are correct, when these babies hit 50 miles per hour, you’re gonna see some serious shit.

Intarweb Goldmine

  • Man Takes Down Armed Robber With Fake Leg (udg)
    • A Massachusetts man who used his prosthetic leg to take down a robber says he didn’t have time to think, he just reacted.
    • Stephen Cornell peered through the window of his neighborhood convenience store in Middleton on Wednesday and saw a man pointing a gun at the owner.
    • He tells The Salem News he intended to tackle the thief when he left JC Grill & Pizza, but instead stuck out his artificial leg and tripped him.
    • Only thing that would have made this more awesome is if he would have actually beat him with the leg.
  • Lucky Mother Trucker
    • Trucker eating an apple on buy Penn. freeway
    • Everything’s calm, he starts to choke
    • Passes out and crashes through center divider
    • When woken up, found that apple had been dislodged by steering wheel
    • Guy used up all his 9 lives
  • 75 Year Old Lady Cuts Entire Country Off From the IntarWebs (udg)
    • Elderly people and the Internet are the root of many jokes and headaches. A 75-year-old lady from the Republic of Georgia scored a point for the geriatrics when she cut off the entire country of Armenia from the net last month.
    • According to the AFP, the woman was scavenging for scrap metal around the village of Ksanai on March 28. She came across a fiber-optic cable linking Armenia to Georgia and she cut it up to sell the copper. Unfortunately, that cable provided the majority of Armenia’s internet service, and the poor Armenians were cut off from the Internet for “hours” that evening. Now she faces up to three years in prison.
    • Hey, Armenia, maybe you shouldn’t rely on a single, fragile cable to connect your entire country to the Internet? Just a thought

Extra Links

  • On Twitter: Steven is @DarthMolen, Jeremy is @jpuent, Natali is @UberDorkGirlie
  • email us: darthmolen@thepowergeeks.com and jpuent@thepowergeeks.com and uberdorkgirlie@thepowergeeks.com (yay!)
  • And Become a Fan

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