WALL•E Has Got So Much Going For It

I'm not much for animated movies, but I have been excited about Wall•E for some time. Something about that cooky little robot and his state-of-the-art girlfriend make me excited with a childhood glee that I haven't felt in years.

If you're not familiar with the hype, WALL•E is about a cleaning robot who has been on Earth for centuries after all the people have left for space. His solitary life is broken by the arrival of a bright, egg-shaped robot named EVE. To say much more after that would give away the clever plot, but to say the least they head into space and visit the place where humanity has decided to vacation forever.

I saw the movie last night and it was phenomenal. There was tons of action, a compelling story, and humor that even the most stodgy adult would enjoy. Unlike some of Pixar's other films, WALL•E doesn't leave adults feeling left out. The plot is a very human one. It tells the story of star-crossed lovers while warning of a bleak future for humanity. While it has all the elements to make it a great date movie, it is also a cautionary tale and countless scenes will remind the viewer of the environmental peril our planet is in.

Clearly, I thought it was a great film. It is hard to pick out a favorite scene because each one was so skillfully crafted, but I think the enormous reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey take the cake. If you've seen the movie, it's hard to miss the re-imagining of Hal and the booming music. Also, stay for the credits. They put a ton of work into making them fun to watch.

If you've seen WALL•E, post your thoughts below!

[Image from Pixar via FirstShowing.net]

Check Out My IM Feeds Post on MakeUseOf

Today my article about the new IM Feeds service went up on MakeUseOf.com. Go check it out if you want a really neat tool for getting your RSS feeds directly to your IM client.

IM Feeds: A Tool for the RSS Power User

Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

My Review of Shades Cases for iPhone and iPod Touch

I just wrote up another review for iPhoneFreak.com. This time it's Shades Cases for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Give it a look if you're in the market for a new case. Personally, I didn't like it very much, but as with all of my reviews, I tried to put in a word for the pros and the cons.

iPhoneFreak Review: Shades Cases for iPhone and iPod Touch

Also, if you entered the related contest, the results and winners are linked at the bottom of the review.

Yellow Drum Machine!

I found this nifty little bot on one of the latest Rocketboom episodes. Yellow Drum Machine seeks out objects and plays awesome little percussion jams on them. Do check it out:


I really don't have any DIY abilities, so I am constantly amazed by this stuff. More info about the bot here.

Turn Off Recycle Bin Delete Confirmation Easily

I'm sure most of you know how to do this or have done it in the past, but if you have a new computer and you are plagued by the alert dialog that comes up whenever you try to delete some files, here's how to turn it off. This will only turn off the "move to bin" alert, not the "empty Recycle Bin" alert (which I personally prefer to keep on).

First, right click your Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop and select Properties:

Next, uncheck the dialogue box for the field "Display delete confirmation dialog" and click Apply:

That's all there is to it! Good luck and happy deleting!

[Computers Today Inc]

Always Eat a Balanced Breakfast!

Wow, just discovered this video (made by a friend of mine) and I wanted to share it. I know, I've been positing a lot of video links lately, but this one is definitely worth your time. Kind of hard to explain, just check it out below:


If you think this is as awesome as I do, try to help it out by Digging it up.

Rocketboom Explores and Foxes

Since the launch of Firefox 3, I've been reminded of what it was like to be a Firefox users way back with version 1. It was exciting and felt like I was part of a growing movement. The other day, Rocketboom, a great vlog, did an impromptu man-on-the-street episode compairing the long-time rivals of Internet Explorer and Firefox.


The responses make Firefox the clear winnner. Also, it's pretty obvious that the only IE users are people who really don't feel comfortable on the web. Hope this brightens your day!

Check out my MakeUseOf post about Plurk

I mentioned Plurk earlier, but now I've written up a full review of it for MakeUseOf.com. Check it out and comment what you think. I have really enjoyed testing it out...so much so that I'm almost certainly going to use it in the future. It's really pretty fun! Plurk on everybody!

At the bottom of that page you can find everybody from MUO who uses Plurk, too. Friend us up if you like!

Will Reading This Blog Improve Your Love Life?

Maybe...you never know! But if you love technology, odds are you're already a geek and according to the Geeks are Sexy blog, that could be a great boon! They have a great article called "12 Reasons why a geek will steal your girlfriend this year" and I think they're right on the money.

If you're a lazy geek like me, here's the video version that DailyIdea.tv made into a full-length video:


No question for me about any of the points on that list. Well, except the money part...geek tech is expensive, girls! So geeks, don't be discouraged...go out and strut your stuff. And ladies...if you don't want to give us a second look, at least do a double take or something. ;-)

[Via Geeks are Sexy]

My Authorial Debut on MakeUseOf.com

Well I'm proud to say that today is the day of my first publication on MakeUseOf.com. After laboring over the article, I have given a review of Enso Launcher, which is a really neat piece of freeware. I'm not going to say more about it though...as that's what my article is for.

Thanks to everybody over at MakeUseOf for welcoming me and helping me get my start. If you're not familiar with MakeUseOf, definitely check them out...I've been reading them since long before I started freelancing.

Also, check out MakeUseOf Podcast #6, which features yours truly chatting with Jason Mayoff about all the postings on MUO.

Alright, We're Not All Going to Die [Hoax Revealed]

Ok so if you remember my previous post, I put up a video of some Asian people making their cellphones into magic corn-popping machines. Well, as it turns out, that video was not only a copy of the following video, but it isn't physically possible at all. Wired asked a physicist at UVA named Louis Bloomfield about the video and he states that:

"[The videos] are cute, but that's never gonna happen."

It seems that the microwaves that pop popcorn are much more intense than cellphone waves and if they weren't, they would heat the water in their users fingers and probably hurt them. Basically, if these ubiquitous devices could pop popcorn, we would already know.

Anyway, all of this is extra credit at this point because the makers of the video have come out and debunked it. Cardo posted this video below:


So, it's clearly just some ad for Bluetooth headsets. This still leaves me with a few questions. How did they make the popcorn pop magically? What was up with that Asian video? Did they use the same camera effect? Are Asian cellphones actually real dangers and can be used to cook a steak?

Anyway, less of the day: if you make a good viral video that turns out to be an ad...you'll probably fool me into posting it on my blog.

[Via Wired]

Join the World in Downloading Firefox 3 on June 17th

That's right folks, the long-awaited Mozilla Firefox version 3 will be hitting the virtual shevles on June 17th, 2008. The new Firefox will have a ton of new features that fix common browser nuisances and make the interface more intuitive. One of the most important changes is its usage of system resources. Firefox 3 will take up far less RAM (according to benchmarking) than any other current browser. While users who run a relatively light installation will notice a difference, adding a load of extensions will probably negate this.

Mozilla has been holding off on the launch date announcement until now, but they have been building support for a massive "Download Day" so that they can set the record for most downloads in a single day at well over one million. Clicking the badge above will take you to the site, so you too can sign up to download on that day.

Of course, if you want to get a taste early like me, head on over to the Firefox 3 Release Candidate 3 page and download it. So far, it's pretty slick.

Note:
Personally, I'm excited about the announced release date because shortly after FF 3 comes out, Flock will be updating to version 2.0, with the shiny new back-end from FF3.

If This Is Real, We're Probably All Going to Die

I was scrolling through DailyBits.com and found this video:


This is pretty scary, but also pretty awesome. I'm not skilled enough in false camera work to tell if this is real or not, but there has to be some way to fake this. Either that or we're all going to get brain cancer in a few decades.

Should You Keep or Toss?...Crowdsource It!

I am a terrible packrat.

I keep stuff that I don't even really like, but reminds me of a place or a thing. My atrocious memory may be the reason for being so clingy. Whatever the cause, sometimes I just need to get rid of stuff. Those little paper slips that you pick up in our modern world...easy to throw out. A little branded doohickey (bottle opener, small flashlight)...I can probably close my eyes and toss it in the can. Larger things can be an issue though.

What if you could have a ton of people randomly come up to you and say, "Toss it out!" Or better yet, have a discussion about its potential value. If you think this might be useful, you should to check out KeepOrToss.org.

VHS Indiana Jones Tapes...a tough call...awesome movies...outdated format...

On their site, you will find tons of old stuff that people can't force themselves to toss out, so they put it up for the masses to discuss. This is known as crowdsourcing, because you're "outsourceing" some task to people who will do it as a group. You can vote "toss" or "keep" on each item and make a comment if you are so inclined. Often the comments provide insight into whether the item has any value beyond the sentimental. A lot of items are old toys that people have simply outgrown and don't have space for.

If you need that extra boost and want to put your item up for a vote, there is a simple form and a place to upload a picture. It's free and you might get a lot of nifty messages about that special collection of Spider Man action figures. Don't be embarrassed if you get made fun of for your high school prom dress, though.

[KeepOrToss.Org]

WWDC 2008 Comprehensive Coverage - 3G iPhone Time!

Well, if you follow this blog, you probably know that Monday "Mad Dog" Steve Jobs will be coming out with his big keynote address at WWDC 2008 in San Francisco, CA. Normally I write up a big long article about it, but this year I have been placed in charge of the giant coverage page for iPhoneFreak.com, so I suggest you just check that out. If I make any big posts like the ones before, it will probably be on that site as well.

I hope you'll use my coverage post for all of your iPhone rumor needs this year. I have tried to compile every keynote tool and link I am aware of, so hopefully you won't miss a thing.

WWDC Comprehensive Coverage of the Second Generation iPhone / 3G iPhone at iPhoneFreak.com

Link on Digg (if you want to help out!)

I Spew My Angry Rath at Media Defender

I just wanted to mention that I put up an editorial-type post on DailyBits.com and you should check it out if you are interested in the ongoing war on intellectual property. Also, if you like Diggnation or Techzilla, you should also check it out. This is my first post on their site and I'm proud to add their name to my growing list of site's I've written for. Check out all of my patrons on the left sidebar.

Here's the article:
Media Defender Attacks Revision3 with a DDOS

Trying Out Plurk

Ok, bear with me, this is kind of a desperate plea, but I need friends. Not any kind of friends either...I need PLURK friends. That's right, there is yet another Twitter clone out there and I want to test it out so I can write about it. Pownce, started out this way and it has reached come level of acceptance in the tech community. Plurk, on the other hand, doesn't have Kevin Rose going and inventing it...

Anyway, if you will suck in and be my friend on Plurk, use this link and you'll automatically get friended to me when you sign up. My name is "loyaleagle," go figure. It's a surprisingly painless sign-up, not even an email confirmation, so give it a shot! Also, getting in early makes sure you get the username you want.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

My Review of The Pogo Stylus for iPhone and iPod Touch

Hey everybody! I just wanted to let you know that I have done a hands-on product review with the Pogo Stylus for iPhone and iPod Touch, made by Ten One Design. It's over at iPhoneFreak.com so check it out (permanent link)!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Some Great Webcomics

Sometimes I wonder why I like the internet anymore. Since becoming a full-time blogger (or as full time as I'm going to get), the web browser has become a tool of work. I spend countless hours perusing RSS feeds, tech news websites, and the occasional funny t-shirt. What can I do to break up the monotony?

Awesome Webcomics to the rescue! I used to despise webcomics because they were always so silly and my most nerdy friends loved them. Over time, though, I saw more and more comics pop up on Digg and other social networks and I eventually caved. Now my RSS feeds have a little bit of fun mixed into them. Here's a list of my favorite webcomics:


Questionable Content - I love QC and read it religiously! This is a very, very long running strip by J. Jacques. It basically follows around a couple people who move about in the coffee shop/indie rock/slightly after college world. It's a bit light Friends, but wackier humor. If you haven't already seen it, give it a look.


Striptease - Unfortunately it's less dirty than it sounds. Basically it's about comic book artists who run around in their various circles. Lots of love-triangle type stuff, but always with a touch of humor or irony. This one and QC are pretty much the only "drama" based comics I read...most of them are just emo guy rants or don't make any sense at all. Oh and there is a handy guide to the numerous characters too!


xkcd - If you haven't seen this one, you clearly don't get online much! xkcd, the name stemming from the writer's desire to create an acronym that cannot be pronounced as a word, dabbles in science, technology, computer science, and, occasionally, romance. Make sure you read the properties of each image, as the "alt" text is usually the punchline (don't get mad at me xkcd veterans, it's not really a secret or anything).


PhD (Piled High and Deeper) - I just discovered this one and I love it! I'm planning to go off to grad school at some time and this one really speaks to me. Basically PhD covers the riggors of grad school life and the various archetypes of student that are usually involved. A sample is posted below:



Zero Punctuation - Ok, so this isn't so much a web "comic" as a vlog, but it falls into step with the others as a nice tidbit to make my day a little more fun. "Yahtzee" puts out a great video review of a new game every week. He doesn't need my accolades so look him up yourself!


Waiter Rant - ...now I'm really bending the rules. This isn't even a graphic! Still, The Waiter posts amazing stories about his life with some of the best writing you'll see on a blog. I might buy his book soon too!

MyTestBox - could be your testbox!

In the midst of my travels on the internets I found a nifty blog/site that might be helpful for anyone interesting in setting up a server or hosting their own website. MyTestBox.com posts very articulate and detailed articles about web software, usually with instructions or tweaks that let you make the best of them.

The main focus of the site is web software reviews and those reviews come from people who have used the software on their own servers and know it intimately. They aren't really into services for users like Twitter or Meebo, but more like ways to improve a Wordpress or Movable Type blog or organize a database. The writers are not usually affiliated with the site at all. In this way it is more of a community interaction than a blog trying to pump out content.

I'm not really a back-end kind of guy. Databases scare me a little and non-HTML/CSS types of code are pretty tough for me to handle. That said, if I were about to take the plunge and host my own site, I'd definitely check out MyTestBox for some good tips on the set-up. Note: MyTestBox does not offer any hosting services.

FYI, if you're qualified in this kind of stuff, they are looking for people to write both articles/reviews and news. There are submission links on the front page.

So if you need a good resource for web software reviews, go ahead and give it a look!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Busy, busy, busy!

I wanted to post a little update on what's up with me and my new endeavor to make some money at this blogging thing. I'm currently blogging for iPhoneFreak and Shipping Seven. I am about to start with both Bright Hub and MakeUseOf. Also, I have started the process of "guiding" for ChaCha. With the last one, I'm basically answering questions for a micro-payment and it's pretty exciting! I'll keep this blog updated with how this busy schedule is treating me. So far it's been pretty hard to keep it all in alignment because all the emails are on the same general topics. Hopefully once I finish the mass-registration part of my project, sorting out the mail by topic will have some meaning again. Oh and I'm still going to put up nifty stuff on this blog too! In fact, I re-organized the sidebars (once Blogger deemed me worthy to have more template bits) so check out the new links. G'bye!

Blogged with the Flock Browser